


Assassin's Creed: Compass

by NightReign



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Adventure, Animus, Assassin's Creed - Freeform, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Assassination, Discovery, F/M, Memories, Mystery, Romance, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-06
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-04-03 04:41:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 28,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4087357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightReign/pseuds/NightReign
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This work is to explore what could have happened after AC IV: Black Flag. In the modern day, the story follows the unnamed Abstergo employee from Black Flag, whom I have given the name of Julius Kaiser. In history, the story follows Jennifer Scott and her introduction into the Assassin Brotherhood by unexpected means when Templars begin a new quest for a new Piece of Eden.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A New Dream

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: This is a work of fiction using the setting presented in the Assassin's Creed world. I do not claim ownership over any copyrighted material. If you as a reader have any comments/suggestions/feedback that you would like to provide, please leave a comment. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 1: A New Dream  
New York City, NY - April 2014**

The first drops of spring rain began to fall as Julius ran across the rooftop of a building on the north edge of Brooklyn. The spring storm was gearing up for a downpour and he didn’t have a lot of time left to get off the roof before running and jumping became hazardous to his health. Looking ahead, Julius spotted a roof access door the far end of the building. He darted across the roof and came to a skidding halt as he rounded the corner of the shed-sized access. Julius then peeked around the edge of the wall to see if the Abstergo agent that was chasing him was still following him and saw no one.

“Rebecca, do you have eyes on the agent?” Julius asked after turning on the Bluetooth link at his ear that was connected to the phone in his pocket. He ran his fingers through his brown hair to keep the beads of sweat from his chocolate colored eyes.

“There aren’t any security cameras on that roof. Sorry Julius, I’m blind.” Rebecca Crane said with a huff, “Last known position was two buildings south of you.”

Julius gave a sigh and peeked around the edge of the wall again and still saw nothing, “Damn he’s fast. See if you can find me an exit point that leads me out to the A line.”

“I’m on it.” Rebecca said.

“Well you know generally speaking, the human race has continued to excel in tests of physical and mental prowess since recorded history. People of Ancient Rome would probably think of us as god-like men.” Shaun Hastings interjected over the link.

“Not helpful Giles.” said Julius.

“I’ve told you before that isn’t my name. I don’t know why you keep insisting on referring me to that television character.” said Shaun.

Julius couldn’t help but give a grin, “Because you’re British.”

“Ha ha, bloody funny.” Shaun grumbled.

After another moment passed, Julius took one last look around the corner to see if the agent managed to catch up. It was really the worst possible day for him to run into Abstergo Security while doing his morning athletics training. Thankfully, he had been wearing his trusty white hoodie so the agent didn’t see his face. He did, on the other hand, see the dual wrist blades out in the open shining off the partial morning sun. Despite what he thought of Abstergo Security, he could not say that they were dumb. From there it was a foot race across rooftops, which Julius was going to do anyway so he guessed he could thank the agent for just speeding along the exercise.

When Julius could find no sight of the agent, he stepped out from behind the roof access room and reached out to open the door. He then jerked his body backwards as he saw the handle jiggle just slightly before the door swung open and an Abstergo Security agent was standing in front of him. He looked different from the one that was chasing him, but was no less dangerous. The agent arched a brow in surprise, not expecting Julius to be standing in the doorway and then raised his hand that held his 9mm sidearm pistol to put an end to the chase.

Julius, however, was faster and pulled his head to the right to narrowly dodge the bullet while lashing out with his fist to punch the agent’s wrist, causing the gun to drop from his hand. The shot echoed in the morning air and scattered the local pigeons that were nesting nearby. Without his gun, the agent took a step forward and threw a right hook that caught Julius on the shoulder. He then followed up with a left cross, but Julius managed to block the punch with his forearm and then countered with kick to the groin.

The agent crumbled to the ground in the doorway, grabbing at his groin in pain. Julius quickly hopped over the agent through the doorway and raced down the stairs; hoping to put a good amount of distance between him and the agent.

“Becca! I need that exit.” said Julius as he continued down the stairwell.

“What was all that noise?” Shaun asked.

“God damn Agent Smith called in backup and nearly got me at the stairs.” Julius said. He then paused and looked up the stairs to see the agent starting to make his way down the stairs.

“Julius, there is an underground access to the A line in the basement of the next building to your north.” said Rebecca.

“Copy that.” Julius replied and pulled away from the stairs to enter the tenth floor hallway of the apartment building. The harsh hallway lights in combination with the smell of refuse hit Julius’ senses and nearly made his stomach turn. At the other end of the hallway was a window that looked over across the alley to the other building. There was no way he could get a running jump to that distance between the two buildings. He would need to climb and in a hurry as he could hear the agent racing down the stairs after him.

Julius bolted down the hallway, dodging debris as well as an elderly lady walking out from her apartment in her nightgown, pink hair curlers and a cup of coffee. Just before reaching the closed window, he could hear a scream from the old lady and the drop of her coffee cup. Julius didn’t need to look behind him to know that the agent was now in the hallway and most likely had his gun out in the open. Two doors before the window, Julius spotted a baseball bat leaning against the wall. As he ducked to grab the bat, just in time to avoid the gunfire from the agent behind him. Julius then threw the bat end of end at the window, where the head shattered the glass on impact and onto the metal fire escape.

Without slowing down, Julius dove through the broken window with his arms outstretched. He then grabbed onto the railing of the fire escape as his forward momentum brought the rest of his body over the edge. Julius gave a grunt as he slammed into the metal bars, but managed to hold on to the railing just as more gunfire whizzed overhead. A quick look down told him that falling more than a hundred feet was a bad idea and instead looked across the open air to the building that was only eight feet away. He turned around and used his upper body strength to bring his feet up against the metal bars. Julius then let out a steady calm breath before using his legs to launch himself off the fire escape and into the air.

Time seemed to slow down as Julius twisted his body in the air to watch the neighboring building rush up to him. He quickly scanned the building for handholds and found a window ledge just slightly to his left. He reached out with his hands and grabbed hold of the ledge with his fingers as the rest of his body impacted against the hard brick wall. Only through sheer force of will and strength was Julius able to keep his hold on the ledge against the inevitable pull of gravity. Now that he was sure he wasn’t going to fall, he began to scale the wall using the ledges until he reached the building’s fire escape.

Once Julius was on a firm landing again, he turned to start heading down when a bullet hit the metal bars of the fire escape. Julius ducked his head and looked to the window next to him and saw that it was closed. With a swift kick he broke the glass and dove into the apartment hallway just as several more shots hit the brick wall around the window. Now that he was in the building, it was now a foot race with the agent down to the bottom floor. The advantage went to Julius as he didn’t have to exit the building, he just needed to get into the basement and find the underground access panel.

“Becca, I’m in the other building.” said Julius as he ran down the hall to the stairwell.

“Already?” asked Rebecca.

“I sort of just jumped over. Don’t worry about it; just find me the underground access panel. I should be in the basement in a couple minutes.” said Julius.

“And once again, I’m ahead of you Julius,” replied Shaun over the link, “You’ll find the access panel in the northeast corner of the basement. It should be next to the furnace and what looks to be a janitor’s office.”

“Got it.” said Julius as he ran down the stairs.

“Be careful. There’s still another agent around somewhere.” said Rebecca.

It only took Julius a few minutes to descend down the ten flights of stairs to reach the basement. There was a musty smell in the air, a mix of old socks and mildew as Julius cautiously stepped into the open room. Most of the walls were lined with wire cage storage lockers filled to the brim with random useless clutter and the most likely candidate for the lovely smell. At the other end of the basement was the maintenance room and office with its door shut and the lights off. It did not take Julius long to find the access panel that led down into the subway tunnel. He unscrewed the panel, crawled inside, and then put the panel back in place just in time to see a person’s shadow precede them into the basement. What followed was the man who initially spotted Julius on the rooftop and chased him across several before apparently going street side in case his partner wasn’t able to finish the job.

The agent stepped cautiously into the basement, moving more graceful than his large linebacker-build would indicate. His suit of black with white shirt and tie did little to disguise the man as a corporate player. Instead, the man looked like a UFC reject with his short cut blonde beard along his strong jawline that matched his short cropped dark blonde hair. His nose looked like it had been broken more than once and his brow was slopped over quizzical blue eyes. Despite what Julius may have thought of the man who began looking around the basement based on appearances, he was not a man he wanted to get into a fight with just yet.

Like a tiger stalking prey, the blond haired agent inspected the floor with intense scrutiny, but in the end, he failed to look inside the access panel to see Julius watching him. A few minutes later, the agent gave a grunt of disappointment and left. Julius waited a few minutes just to make sure the agent wasn’t secretly waiting for him to emerge from his hiding spot.

Julius let out a sigh of relief once the man was gone before turning around and making his way down the passage until he reached the underground subway system. From there, it was a quick run over to the station where he boarded the A train and made his way into Manhattan. The train was lightly populated, giving Julius a chance to take a breather from the morning’s extra workout. He then chatted briefly Rebecca and Shaun about the incident and that hopefully the agents didn’t get a good look at his face with all the commotion. The conversation did not go much further; Shaun wanting to wait to have the rest of the conversation after Julius finished work at his day job when it would be more private.

When the train came to a stop, Julius filed out of the train and made his way street side to find that the morning rain that was threatening earlier had given way to a full downpour. He popped up his hoodie over his head and quickly made his way down the street through the morning commute crowd until he finally reached his job as a Game Developer at Abstergo Entertainment, New York Branch. Ever since the strange and dangerous encounter with James at the Canadian office, Abstergo decided to move part of their game development operations to New York.

After successfully unlocking the genetic memories of Edward Kenway, Julius was something of a celebrity within his management team as the game he helped create went on to become a blockbuster hit. Since the alpha development team was going to New York, they decided to relocate Julius to New York to begin work on another project. That had been three months ago and while waiting for the office to be finished, Julius was given a paid vacation to settle in and enjoy the city before getting to work.

Instead of relaxing, Julius spent his time with Rebecca Crane and Shaun Hastings learning the ways of being an Assassin. He thought it would be easy, after all, he spent so much time in the Animus being Edward Kenway, and it made sense to him that he could carry over the knowledge to real life. Unfortunately, his body seemed to disagree with him. First he had to get in shape, which was still a work in progress. Next he had to train his body to work like an Assassin from memories that were not his own. Though he could somewhat duplicate the ability to climb, fight, and blend into crowds, most of the time it only worked on a rudimentary level. He had a long way to go before he could be as good as the Order hoped he could be.

Today was the first day that employees were allowed in the new Abstergo Building. It was spacious and modern in its design with lots of plants scattered throughout the building. The reception area was partially filled with employees, many of which he remembered from the Canadian branch. Julius made his hellos and made small talk until it was his turn to register with security. He approached the desk and was relieved to find that the large agent that was chasing him earlier was not present, just the always smiling Linda Clark, receptionist extraordinaire.

After swiping his badge, Linda handed him his new Abstergo tablet and updated his credentials for access to the employee lounge and the 23rd floor, which would be where his new workstation was located. Like the other office, access to virtually the rest of the building was off limits except this time he didn’t have a crazy tech guy trying to get him to hack every company in the company.

Julius stepped off to the side and turned on his tablet to see what his assignment would be, but the only message was to report to James Masters, the Game Development Director. A chill ran down Julius’ back as he wondered if the agent did manage to make out his face after all, but he then quickly dismissed the idea. If he had been made, security wouldn’t have even let him in the building, let alone given him a tablet.

The email from Director Masters showed his appointment at 8am sharp on the 25th floor. It also contained a temporary access key so Julius could access the floor via the lift. Checking the time on his tablet, there was only a few minutes before he needed to be at the meeting and so Julius hurried over to the lift and brought up the temporary access key for the 25th floor. The elevator acknowledged his access code and immediately began its ascent to the Director's office. The lift then came to a stop a few moments later to a spacious office with a large desk in front of a glass wall overlooking downtown. A middle aged man of black hair and eyes in a button up shirt and slack looked up as the lift chimed his arrival.

“Ah! Mr. Kaiser! You’re early, I like that.” James Masters said with full smile showing a set of perfectly white teeth.

Julius stepped into the office holding his tablet close to his chest, “Thank you sir. I’m just trying to do my best.”

James stood up from his desk and made his way over to shake Julius’ hand, “It is your best that brought you here Julius and the reason I asked you here this morning. Your work on the Kenway project was masterful and the game’s success is in large part because of your work.”

“Thank you sir.” said Julius, trying not to let his fake enthusiasm get the best of him.

James, still smiling, turned and walked back over to his desk to pick up a flash drive, “With your great success, we have high hopes for you moving forward. I’m sure you are curious to know what our next project will be. Care to take a guess?”

“Um, perhaps ninjas sir. They are always quite popular.” said Julius.

“Sadly no. That is a future project we are still looking into.” said James, shaking his head, “We’re looking into doing a sort of sequel to the infamous pirate Edward Kenway. Except this time, we want you to dive into the memory of his daughter, Jennifer Scott.”


	2. Lost Hopes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work is to explore what could have happened after AC IV: Black Flag. In the modern day, the story follows the unnamed Abstergo employee from Black Flag, whom I have given the name of Julius Kaiser. In history, the story follows Jennifer Scott and her introduction into the Order by unexpected means when Templars begin a new quest for a new Piece of Eden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is a work of fiction using the setting presented in the Assassin's Creed world. I do not claim ownership over any copyrighted material. If you as a reader have any comments/suggestions/feedback that you would like to provide, please use the review box below. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 2: Lost Hopes  
London, England - August 1732**

Jennifer smoothed out the rumples in her dress after sitting down in her father’s carriage. The attempted proposal to court from Douglas Atherton at the opera house unnerved her. It wasn’t just that he called her by the wrong surname, something she had repeatedly corrected him on, it was that she barely even knew the man. It was the fact that he and society at large expected her to be married by now with children on the way. Yet, it was not something she was ready for. As much as she didn't want to admit it, the urge for adventure ran through her veins. A gift from her father Edward Kenway.

A brief thought entered her mind to entertain the courting of Douglas. After all, he was the son of a well off noble family with a promising career in politics. With his family's wealth combined with her father's riches, Douglas and she would be the new prominent couple in all of London. They could have anything they wanted. Anything but love and freedom.

So deep in thought, Jennifer didn't even notice when her little brother Haytham climbed into the carriage. He was all smiles and talking nonstop about the lead singer and her choice of white dress. 

"Moo! Look at me! I'm a cow! Moo!" Haytham babbled happily. 

A rich laugh followed the little boy that finally brought Jennifer out of her thoughts. When Edward Kenway entered the carriage, she flashed him a small smile to hide her conflicted thoughts, "It was a lovely performance father."

"It was. All prim and proper like." Edward replied and settled Haytham into the seat next to him as he continuing mooing. 

"Speaking of proper, I am still waiting for the acceptance letter from Oxford. Have you heard anything from President Williams about it?" Jennifer asked. 

Edward gave an immediate sigh and shook his head, "I'm sorry love, but Robert still has not bent to my request to have you fully admitted as a student."

The news brought a flash of anger across Jennifer's face as she balled up her fists, "This is just deplorable! Why can't a woman study just like a man? I'm just as intelligent as those blokes if not smarter!"

"Jenny..." 

"No father. No more 'let me handle it' this time. On the morrow I'm going to walk up to the President's office and demand that I be allowed to attend the Spring semester."

Edward calmly shook his head, "And what good would that do? Do you want to get arrested? How would that make you look? What about us? What about Haytham? You can't just go off halfcocked and expect to get what you want."

"Isn't that would you did father when you left mom to go privateering across the Caribbean?” Jennifer said with a scowl. “Look how it turned out for you! You're rich now. You have title and a fair maiden for a wife. All perfectly and neatly wrapped in a big red bow. Why can’t I have it too? Why can’t I find love and happiness and money and power? Why?”

Edward gave a frown and nodded slowly, “You are right. I did leave your mother to do those things and because of that, I was not there to see you born or to see her before she died. It is something that I regret and must live with for the rest of my life. I don’t want you to make the same mistake that I did.”

“It isn’t a mistake to do something that I want to do.” Jennifer said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“That isn’t what I said Jenny,” Edward said and then gave a heavy sight, "Lord knows that I have done many things in the pursuit of what I wanted to do and not all of them brought me the happiness I sought. Do you remember what I taught you? Nothing is true. Everything is permitted. That does not mean, however, to go halfcocked on a fool's errand. Lord knows I learned that the hard way. Be smart about it. I do want you to follow your dreams and follow your heart. I want you to be educated, but the world is not ready for you yet. So you must do it another way."

Jennifer listened quietly to her father. Her attempt to use his life as a privateer to justify her own desire to attend Oxford was being turning against her. She hated him for using her mother as a reason for not pushing the university to admit her. It was the one thing that still kept them from being a true family in her opinion. He left her for money so they could have a better life together. She died before he was able to fulfill that desire. Now she was asking him and her brother to wait while she tried to get into Oxford so that their lives could be better. What if something happened to them while she pursued that goal just like it happened to her father? She wasn't sure she could forgive herself for that for as much as she hated that her mother was gone, she had come to love her father and her little brother.

"Everything that I've wanted was through Oxford. If I can't have that, what will I do?" Jennifer asked, dropping her gaze down to her lap.

The carriage began to move as Edward leaned forward and put his hand to Jennifer's knee, "Forget them, if they can't see past their arse, then they don't deserve you. If they won't let you into Oxford, then we just need to find another way to find the knowledge you seek. It may be less posh than what you are used to."

"Spoken like a true pirate." Jennifer said with a hint of a grin.

"Aye lass." said Edward, "We can discuss it more this evening at the manor."

Jennifer nodded, "Thank you father." She said and looked out the carriage window as they made their way back to the Kenway Manor.

After returning to England, Edward used his fortune to obtain a decent manor on the outskirts of London proper next to the Thames River for the two of them to settle down and try to be a family. It was hard at first, moving from the laws of the sea to the laws of the land, but Edward adjusted and found a decent living as an antiquities dealer and procurer of new world items from his contacts in the Caribbean. It was not the life his blood called for, but Jennifer knew that he willingly made the sacrifice so that she could have a parent to look after her until she came of age. 

Jennifer, meanwhile, continued with her schooling by day and listening to her father's stories of his adventures on the sea and with the Assassin Order. The stories, while certainly entertaining, helped her piece together who her father was as a person and understand why he did the things he did. It was the tales of the Order that caught her attention the most and how they chiseled away the roughness of being a pirate to help him find honor and purpose in life even when he didn't want it. They helped him find his compass by tearing away the lies of what is and is not true and right based on morality and humanity. By stepping away from man's imposed laws of morality, which were colored by opinion and religion, one was able to be truly free. It was this more than anything else that changed her father from the man her mother told her about into the man that she finally met.

As the carriage rounded the last bend in the road towards their manor, Jennifer looked backed to her father who was playing with Haytham. Her mother might have been right at one point in time about what kind of man Edward was, but if she could see him now, Jennifer was sure that Caroline would be pleased. 

After the carriage came to a stop, the driver opened the door and allowed the three of them to exit. The seneschal of the manor, Mr. James Archibald, was awaiting them near the front door in his usual immaculate suit and tie. 

"Welcome back sirs and lady. I trust the opera was enjoyable?" James asked.

"Oh Mr. Archibald, you should have been there! It was lovely." Jennifer said

"Truly it was an excellent performance." Edward said, "I trust all is well here?"

James Archibald gave a slight nod of his head, "Yes sir. While you we out, a pair of gentleman arrived to see you. A Mr. Winston and Mr. Moore. They are awaiting you in the study as they insisted on waiting for your return."

Edward arched a brow and a look of concern came over his face before he quickly buried it away with a pleasant fake smile, "Very well then, I shall see to them presently. If you would kindly see Haytham to a bath and then straight to bed."

"Aww, come on pappa! I don't want to go to bed yet! I want to be a knight in shining armor like the man from the play!" Haytham said with his pouting face showing.

"I bet you do Haytham! But if you want to be a knight, then you have to be as clean and well rested as Arthur. Can you do that for me?" Edward said with a chuckle while shooing the boy into the house.

Once Haytham was inside and led away by Archibald, Edward looked to Jennifer with a more serious demeanor, "I'm sorry love, apparently business calls even this late at night. Perhaps we can speak in the morning?"

Jennifer gave a smile and nodded, "Of course father. I understand that duty calls. I will be in my room getting into something more comfortable and lets me breath like a proper human being."

Edward flashed a smile, "Thank you Jenny." He said before giving her a kiss on the cheek. He then quickly made his way inside and made his way towards the study at the western wing of the manor.

As she made her way towards her room, Jennifer wondered why her father reacted the way he to the names of the people who were in her home. Was it someone from his past in the New World perhaps? The curiosity quickly got the better of her and she changed direction to head towards the library, which joined the study on the opposite end that her father took. She told herself that a quick eavesdropping never hurt anyone. What was the worst that could happen?


	3. Eye of God

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work is to explore what could have happened after AC IV: Black Flag. In the modern day, the story follows the unnamed Abstergo employee from Black Flag, whom I have given the name of Julius Kaiser. In history, the story follows Jennifer Scott and her introduction into the Order by unexpected means when Templars begin a new quest for a new Piece of Eden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is a work of fiction using the setting presented in the Assassin's Creed world. I do not claim ownership over any copyrighted material. If you as a reader have any comments/suggestions/feedback that you would like to provide, please use the review box below. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 3: The Eye of God  
London, England - August 1732**

The Kenway library was an impressive sight to behold, even by English standards. From his years in the Caribbean, Edward collected just as many books as he did gold and reales. The vast number of tomes covered a wide variety of topics from professional manuals to romance novels written in English, Spanish, and Dutch. It was more than enough information for a growing woman to learn about the world without being harassed by the public for reading beyond what society expected her to. Now, at age nineteen and in thanks to the library and schooling, Jennifer Scott was more learned than the average Englishman and perhaps even some teachers.

It was her thirst for knowledge that drove Jennifer to read, but what also fed her insatiable curiosity. It was ultimately that curiosity that brought her to the library and to the door that led into her father’s study. The door was already slightly ajar as Jennifer approached, the soft pulsing golden light of the lantern outlining the edge of the doorframe.

Peering through the crack, she could see her father in mid discussion with two men. Edward was speaking primarily with the older one, a seemingly Italian man dressed in simple black trousers, and a dark gray tunic. His hair was brown with the beginnings of gray along the temple. His skin was tanned and leathered, much like Edwards from prolonged exposure to the sun. Leaning against the far wall was a similar dressed younger man with his arms crossed over his chest and a slight frown on his lips. He was attractive in Jennifer’s eyes with a muscular build, shoulder length brown hair and eyes the color of the ocean.

Edward flashed a smile of pride at the older man, “Things are good here. Jenny is a grown woman now with a keen mind, a gift from her mother no doubt. Little Haytham has already shown promise and I think he will be a fine addition to the Order in another ten years or so.”

“I am glad to hear it. When he is ready, have him come to my home in Florence and I will ensure he is trained by our best mentors.” the old man said.

“Thank you Angelo, that means a great deal to me.” said Edward.

Angelo waved a hand, “No thanks are needed. An Auditore always honor a debt, especially those of the Order. You saved my life when you boarded that Spanish frigate and pulled me from the burning hell those Templars had planned for me. It is but a small price to look after your son as he learns from us. What of your daughter though? You do know that we also train women. Ezio was particular about that when he rebuilt the Brotherhood. All can assist, in a variety of different ways.”

Edward shook his head, “I do not think it is the life she would want. She is more interested in books and quiet places rather than a life of adventure.”

Jennifer arched a brow and felt a wave of annoyance wash over. It wasn't like her father to keep something from her or prevent her from pursuing opportunity. To now hear him speaking of keeping something from her because she was like books angered her. To add to the anger, it was also something that her little brother was being trained for to join when he came of age. Her father spoke very little of the Order in the years after returning to London. She knew vaguely what it was and what they did, but nothing in-depth. Her curiosity to learn more was rapidly increasing the more she listened.

Angelo have a nod, "Very well, I shall respect your wishes. Should that change, know that she is always welcome in Florence."

"So noted. Now, what brings you all the way to London Angelo?" Edward asked.

Angelo gave a sigh, "Business I'm afraid. There is a local Minister here in London named James Anderson that has gained the Order's interest."

Edward tilted his head as he recognized the name, "Anderson? Aye, I know the man. He heads the Presbyterian Church over on Swallow Street. Do you believe him to be a Templar?"

"Freemason actually. He recently wrote a book on the genealogies of various rulers of Europe. Within that book is a line of Kings going back to Solomon and a reference to an object called the Eye of God. The Order believes that it could be a piece of Eden." Angelo said.

"Sounds like a ghost chase to me old friend. Why would he make reference to a piece of Eden in a public book?" asked Edward.

Angelo shook his head, "We don't think he realizes what it actually is."

"But you do?"

"Altair's Codex speaks of a Compass that shall point to the temple of the wise within the birthplace of God's son. We already knew the location to be the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. The part we didn't know was the Compass. Edward, we think the compass is Anderson himself. You see, the Freemasons use a compass as their sigil and we think Anderson is the key to unlocking the crypt that holds the Eye of a God. To make matters more difficult, the Freemasons are somewhat allied with the Templars. If they manage to get their hands on a piece of Eden, it would be catastrophic." Angelo said.

Edward gave a frown, "Just like that thing in the Caribbean, another disaster waiting to happen. But, it sounds like you blokes have everything you need to deal with the situation this time. I only fixed the last one because I mucked it up to start. Why come to me with a new one?"

Angelo gave a charming smile, "You know this city better than I. We need your help getting around so we can acquire Anderson quietly. I promise, this is just a simple quiet extraction. Once we have Anderson, you can go back to your posh life."

Edward was quiet for a moment and then shook his head, "Not really my style to be honest. I’m not really one for sneaking about. Besides, I have two children to look after now and this would be in my own backyard. If things went badly, I would lose everything."

"If you are concerned about your children's safety, I can guarantee that nothing will happen to them." Angelo said and the. Motioned to the younger man, "Bryson Moore is my most promising student. He can keep them safe while we complete the mission."

Jennifer flicked a glance back over to the young man as his name was mentioned. He was still up against the wall, but the frown was now gone and replaced by a serious expression of determination, “I won’t let anything happen to them Mr. Kenway.” he said, his voice deeper than she expected.

Edward shook his head, "No offense Angelo, but I don't know this kid and I’m not leaving some stranger to protect my kids. I told Ah Tabai I would return when my work here is finished and I’ll return when I’m damn good and ready.”

Angelo gave a sigh, “And how long are you going to draw out your mission Edward? Another five years? Ten years? Twenty? Your association with the Order has always been tenuous at best. What if I could say that this is your last mission? If you complete this task for me, then your debt to the Order is fulfilled and you may come and go as you please as an honored member.”

“Dammit Angelo.” Edward said with a sigh before taking a seat in his leather chair, “Do you promise me that I am done after this? That I am free to do what I want with no more errands or tasks?”

“Yes.” Angelo replied.

“And your student? Can he protect my children? Do you swear it by your blood and the Brotherhood?” Edward asked.

“With his life if it comes to that. I swear it.” Angelo said.

Edward nodded in resignation, “All right. I will make the arrangements. When were you planning on moving on Anderson?”

“The sooner the better. Before winter preferably.” Angelo replied.

Jennifer leaned away from the door with her hand to her mouth to keep herself from being too loud at the news she just heard. Her father was about to leave them to go on some secret mission and leave a stranger to protect them, but protect them from what? What was the Eye of God and why was it so important?

Having heard enough, Jennifer quietly slipped away from the door and then quickly exited the library back to her room on the second floor.


	4. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work is to explore what could have happened after AC IV: Black Flag. In the modern day, the story follows the unnamed Abstergo employee from Black Flag, whom I have given the name of Julius Kaiser. In history, the story follows Jennifer Scott and her introduction into the Order by unexpected means when Templars begin a new quest for a new Piece of Eden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is a work of fiction using the setting presented in the Assassin's Creed world. I do not claim ownership over any copyrighted material. If you as a reader have any comments/suggestions/feedback that you would like to provide, please use the review box below. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 4: Acceptance  
London, England - August 1732**

Once in her room, Jennifer quickly undressed and changed into a more comfortable cotton white dress with a pair of matching house shoes. All of her jewelry was neatly put away and when she brought her hair down, she gave a pleasant sigh of relief as her golden hair tumbled down her back. Between removing the corset and letting her hair down, Jennifer felt like a human being again and was one of her most treasured moments in the day.

Jennifer never subscribed to society’s social normality of a woman’s appearance should look like. Despite everything her mother tried to instill in her during her childhood, she passed on to soon for those societal norms to take root. It was during her truly impressionable years that her father Edward threw out the notion of being what everyone wanted her to be and looking the part. He replaced it with independence and freedom of choice like any good pirate would do. It always came back to the statement: Nothing is true. Everything is permitted. It was that statement that allowed her to pursue knowledge and schooling and dress how she wanted to dress. Though she would be required to wear more formal attire to events such as the opera they just attended, everything else was her choice and she took full advantage of it.

It was that line of thinking that was also making her angry about Edward’s submission to the Order on their mission involving the Eye of God. Why would he cater to their need when he always preached independence for everything? Why would he also plan to send Haytham to them to be trained in the ways of the Order? The more she thought how much these things made her father seem to be living two lives, the more those things burned at her mind and trust.

A knock came from her door a few minutes later while she was brushing her hair. Jennifer called out for the person to enter, expecting her father on the other side. 

The door opened and Edward stepped into her room still dressed in his formal clothing. Upon seeing her already dressed in her usual house dress, he gave a smile, "Couldn't wait to get out of those clothes I see."

"I was out the second I walked into my room." Jennifer said as she turned around to face her father, returning his smile, "All finished with your business?"

Edward gave a nod, "For the evening and is also why I've come. This business will require a few months of work which may have me away at times."

"What kind of business?" Jennifer asked even though she already knew the answer. She needed to know his thoughts on why he ultimately took the mission. She needed to know if this was only about what he wanted or her father had finally grown up enough to consider others.

"The less you know, the better," Edward said, pulling his gaze away as to not look into her eyes, "It's better that way."

Jennifer gave a frown, "So it's dangerous? How dangerous? How could you work for them while Haytham is still so young? He can't take care of himself if something were to happen to you."

"It wasn't by choice Jenny, you have to believe me. But this is the last one. After this, I'm retired." Edward said. 

A storm of rage boiled up in Jennifer as she stood up from her chair, "You said the same thing to mom before you left and look how that turned out!"

"That isn't fair Jenny."

Jennifer didn't stop as she stalked towards him with her finger up and pointing at him, "Fair? You want to talk about what is fair? What about what was fair to mom? What about what is fair to me? Do you think I wanted a new mother? A little brother?”

Edward staggered back a step from the verbal assault and looked more wounded than any sword or pistol could muster, “Leave Tessa out of this. She did nothing to hurt you. I never did any of this to hurt you.” he said a few moments later after recovering.

“So you are going to leave me now just like you left mom?” Jennifer asked.

"I dread that mistake every day love." Edward said quietly, "Not a day passes that I don't miss Caroline and her sweet smile. I promise you Jenny that I won't make the same mistake again. This time will be different. I am going to have someone stay here to watch over the family while I'm gone to make sure that nothing happens to either of you."

Jennifer gave a scowl and put her hands on her hips, “I don’t want some half wit street urchin protecting me! He may be cute, but if your stories about the Templars are even half as true as you say, I’ll need more than just him to keep us safe.”

Edward arched a brow curiously, “How do you know if he is cute?"

"Well...I...uh...heard him when I was walking by." Jennifer said as she took a step back and looked down. 

"You were spying on us?" Edward said as he took a step forward. Though he asked with a touch of anger in his voice, the small upturn at the corners of his lips suggested he was toying with her. 

Jennifer had never been good at lying to her father. He was too perceptive, more than people have him credit for. She slumped her shoulders a bit and nodded, "I was curious as to what kind of business would call upon you at this late hour."

Edward maintained his not quite angry posture, "Then you heard me decline at first. It wasn't until they said I could be free of debt that I took the mission. Besides, they need this done quick and quiet. It will probably be an easy score and then we can finally be free to focus on us. Me, you, and Haytham."

“But what if something does go wrong?” Jennifer asked.

“Then we shall deal with it as it comes. That is why Mr. Moore will remain here at the estate to look after you and Haytham."

"But I don't trust him. I don't even know him."

"Give it time. Angelo trained him and trusts Bryson enough to pay his life debt with me with his student's help. That is good enough for me."

Jennifer started to speak, but Edward held up his hand for silence, "God knows you must be my daughter to question this much. Please, just do as I ask this once?"

"Yes father." Jennifer said with a sigh, "But be quick about it. I want to be done with this last job so we can move on and be a real family like you promised."

Edward stepped forward and wrapped Jennifer in a hug, "As do I Jenny. As do I."

Jennifer put her head to her father's chest and sighed one last time. A feeling that something might go wrong on this last mission crept into the back of her mind and sat there like a large stone. If this was going to be the last time she saw her father, she wanted to savor his comforting hug for as long as she could.


	5. Two Sides of the Same Coin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work is to explore what could have happened after AC IV: Black Flag. In the modern day, the story follows the unnamed Abstergo employee from Black Flag, whom I have given the name of Julius Kaiser. In history, the story follows Jennifer Scott and her introduction into the Order by unexpected means when Templars begin a new quest for a new Piece of Eden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is a work of fiction using the setting presented in the Assassin's Creed world. I do not claim ownership over any copyrighted material. If you as a reader have any comments/suggestions/feedback that you would like to provide, please use the review box below. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 5: Two Sides of the Coin  
New York City, NY - April 2014**

Julius removed his animus headgear and set it on his desk before blinking a few times to adjust his vision to the fluorescent lighting overhead. The virtual reality of the animus always messed with his vision when he unplugged, most likely due to the natural light that people from history used. Though technology made people's lives easier in these modern times, there was something appealing about the simpler lives that Edward and Jennifer lived in without cellphones, cars, and computers.

Once he adjusted, Julius looked to his monitor and scanned over the data collected from his dive into Jennifer Scott's memory. She was nineteen years of age, well educated, and unattached, though she seemed to have plenty of suitors. She had a strong desire to continue learning with no apparent desire to follow in her father's footsteps. The preliminary findings seemed to suggest that she was a rather ordinary person of a famous father. The one unknown to the story thus far was the object called the Eye of God.

Julius pulled up a browser on his touchscreen monitor and did a quick search for references to the Eye of God. After a little digging, he found several references to the Freemasons and a pyramid shape object with an eye at its center, which matched the descriptions made by Angelo to Edward. Also known as the Eye of Providence, it was a symbol meaning a divine figure watching over humanity. There was not, however, any reference to any major historical objects matching the symbol from the 1700's that Julius could find.

Just because there was no mention of an object didn't mean that there wasn't one. The pieces of Eden, whether by the First Race's design or by human intervention, usually didn't show up in history books. They were too powerful for the general public to know about. If that was the case, Julius needed to get this information to Becca and Shaun right away so they could start digging through the Order's archives for more information.

A quick glance at the clock on his computer told Julius that it was lunchtime already and the perfect opportunity to get away from the office. Due to the office's security measures, all cellular and wifi traffic inside the building was monitored for breaches in NDA agreements. That meant he needed to go out of the building before handing over any information.

Julius stood up from his desk with tablet in hand after locking down his desktop. He then made his way to the main elevator were a group of employees were talking excitedly. As he approached, Roger, another animus tech who also transferred from Canada, flashed a smile and waved Julius over.

“Hey Julius! I want you to meet some people!” Roger said.

Julius walked up and looked over at the three people standing with Roger. The one to his left was a man of black hair and eyes with a wiry frame who was introduced as Anthony. To the right was a man of nordic appearance with blonde hair, green eyes, and an athletic build who introduced himself as Howard. Lastly, Roger introduced Mara; a brunette of average height with small nose and storm cloud colored eyes. Each of them gave Julius a smile and shook hands with him and said hello.

"Julius is the one who cracked the Kenway project." Roger said to the group.

"Seriously? You're the guy?" Howard asked.

"Dude, that was some serious diving you did. Your sync ratio tops the whole floor." Anthony said.

"Almost tops the floor." Mara corrected as she ran her fingers through her hair. The smell of vanilla filtered into the air and caught Julius' attention. It was pleasant and subtle, just enough to get someone's attention but not scream her presence to everyone.

Julius gave a smile, "I'm just doing my job is all. I'm not here to prove anything."

Anthony shook his head, "Don't be modest. Revel in your success man. If I could reach that kind of sync ratio, maybe I'd be done with this damn French Revolution dive already."

Howard nodded, "I hear ya, but you got it good compared to Imperial China. The stupid translator programs keep going off line and so I can't figure out half of what my lady is even saying."

"At least you are on a project right now." Roger replied with a sigh, "I'm stuck in with database maintenance right now."

Julius put a comforting hand to Roger's shoulder, "I'm sure you'll get a new project soon." He said and then looked to Mara, "What about you? What project are you working on?"

Mara was quiet for a moment before speaking, "Early Colonial period."

"Oh really? Some am I. Which country?" Julius asked.

"England, 1730's. It follows the life of this guy named Bryson Moore. He was supposed to be this infamous thief who stole a bunch of artifacts from the Freemasons during their rise to power. It is supposed to be for this drama, intrigue and suspense game being developed, but to be honest, it is all rather boring."

The mention of Bryson Moore made Julius take notice and arch a brow. She was working the same angle that he was. That meant Abstergo was serious about finding more information on the Eye of God. Now he definitely needed to get out and warn the Order of what was going on. He also needed to not let Mara in on what he knew just yet, not until he could determine which side she was playing for. He hoped she was just a pawn like most of the employees as she was pleasing to look at and seemed to be so done he could get to know more.

"What about you?" Mara asked.

Julius gave a smile and a shrug, "Nothing all that exciting right now. Just some fact finding for a possible Kenway sequel. Mostly I'm just rehashing old material."

Howard and Anthony both gave a frown. "Dude, that's just wrong. With your talents, you should be working on something brand new." Anthony said, "Well, if you want to do something else, I could use a fresh set of eyes on this French Revolution business.

Mara, however, arched a brow, "Edward Kenway did have some interactions with Moore from what I have seen so far, but it was after his pirate adventures from what I can tell. Any chance you are that far into his life? Maybe compare notes?"

"I honestly haven't gotten very far yet as I just started today. I've mostly just been recapping old info since it has been awhile." Julius said quickly. She was far enough into her dive that she had already reached the few scenes he reviewed this morning and that made Mara even more dangerous. That meant she knew about the Eye of God and made Julius wonder even more which side she was on by wanting to compare notes. The fact that she mentioned it was boring meant she was hiding what she knew.

"Well, if you happen to run into Moore let me know. I would another set of eyes on his life." Mara said.

Julius gave a nod, "Absolutely." He said and then glanced at the clock on the wall to see that ten minutes had already passed. If he was going to drop off the material, he needed to leave soon. "Anyhow, I need to run out and grab some lunch so I'll catch up with you all later."

"Hey, we should all get together for lunch some other time. I would love to pick your brain on how you do your dives." Anthony said.

"Good idea." Roger said.

"Certainly. We can do that." Julius said and then glanced at the clock again and started to step away when he saw a large man moving through the office pool. He was dressed in a black suit and tie with blonde hair slicked back in a ponytail. He looked like a Nordic viking with a weightlifting fetish. As the man wove his way through the cubicles, it took only a moment for Julius to recognize the man's bold face; it was the man from this morning's chase who nearly put a bullet in his back.

Julius gave a wave to the group, "You all have a good afternoon." He said before quickly making his to the elevator before Mr. Viking noticed him standing out in the open. Using his tablet, Julius told the elevator to go down to the lobby. After the doors shut and the elevator started its descent, Julius gave a sigh of relief.

That security guard was going to cause him problems down the road and he needed to figure out a way to resolve the problem before it became an issue. Julius had yet to get to the actual killing portion of his training and to be honest with himself, he wasn't sure did he could kill, not in cold blood. Unlike the other members of the Order, Julius was not born and bred for the lifestyle. Membership into the Assassins, as he was learning, was usually handed down from parent to child. There was the occasional adoption of a new member like Edward Kenway and Adewale, but they were typically the exception to the rule. It also helped that they already had the skills to be a competent Assassin. Julius was just a single college dropout with aspirations of being a video game designer. There was no reason for him to be thrust into the world of Templars and Assassins. It was almost too much for him to handle.

Yet, after his experience in diving into Edward’s life, something inside of him kept him going to seek out new things. He had never been much of an adventurous person prior to the Kenway events, preferring the comforts of his apartment rather than the outdoors. Afterwards, however, the back of his mind was now starting to push the desire to experience new things. He had never brought it up to Rebecca and Shaun, thinking it was just the rush of adrenaline from his near death experience with the Sage. Now that he was several months removed from that situation, he found that the desire was still there and what drove him to accept the Order's offer to join and spy on Abstergo.

Passing through security to the outside went with issue much to Julius' relief. Once he was out on the street, he quickly made his way to a nearby bistro and took a seat at the outdoor seating. After the waitress took his lunch order, Julius took out his smartphone and synced it to his tablet. He then began transferring the data on Jennifer Scott and finished just as his lunch arrived. As he ate his lunch, Julius uploaded the files to Rebecca's cloud server. He then sent her a quick text message to check the file. Once the upload was completed, he used a hacker app designed by Rebecca from his phone to his tablet to erase the sync so Agstergo wouldn't know he was smuggling files out of the office.

Once his lunch was done, Julius made his way back to the office when his phone vibrated in his pocket. It was Rebecca texting to say the files were received and being reviewed. After slipping his phone back into his pocket, Julius headed back into the office to see what else Jennifer Scott had in store for him.


	6. The Wolf and the Doe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work is to explore what could have happened after AC IV: Black Flag. In the modern day, the story follows the unnamed Abstergo employee from Black Flag, whom I have given the name of Julius Kaiser. In history, the story follows Jennifer Scott and her introduction into the Order by unexpected means when Templars begin a new quest for a new Piece of Eden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is a work of fiction using the setting presented in the Assassin's Creed world. I do not claim ownership over any copyrighted material. If you as a reader have any comments/suggestions/feedback that you would like to provide, please use the review box below. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 6: The Wolf and the Doe  
London, England - November 1732**

 

More than three months passed since Jennifer’s father accepted the assignment of hunting down James Anderson. The weather was quickly approaching the end of fall weather and the beautiful autumn colors were giving way to evergreens and the onset of colder winds. Jennifer usually enjoyed the winter season for its festive atmosphere and parties.

This winter, however, her father was finally leaving for his mission with the Order. Over the past three months, Edward spent much of his time away from home, spending days at a time searching and scouting James Anderson. When he was home, he spoke nothing of his work, taking the time instead to be a father to Jennifer and Haytham. He even spent time with Oxford to try and get them to give Jennifer an exception so she could enroll, but they refused to discuss the matter and closed their doors to the idea for the winter.

Determined to make things right, Edward presented Jennifer with a letter made with several individual professors from Oxford willing to give Jennifer personal tutelage until Oxford was willing to allow her to enroll. Jennifer was excited by the news, giving her father a hug and thanked him over and over.

It wasn't until the dreaded day of Edward's departure for his mission that the perfect season came to an end. It started when Edward called her down from her room to the study. She was dressed in a simple white dress and slippers as she exited her room and headed down the stairs. She had spent the whole day indoors and, as usual, only spent a small amount of time on makeup and her hair. When she entered the study, she suddenly wished she had spent more time making herself more presentable.

Standing in the study was Edward and the members of the Assassin Order. Angelo Auditore da Firenze was dressed in clothing of loose fitting clothing of white while standing next to Edward as they spoke quietly. Bryson Moore, dressed in more casual commoner clothing, was again standing off to the side near the wall. His hair was left free and a thin beard and mustache were starting to grow in.

Jennifer drank in Bryson's appearance like a fine wine before quickly looking away to her father and tucking a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"Ah Jenny! Good, come here, I want to introduce you to someone." Edward said as he held out his to her.

She made a quick glance at Bryson again and saw that his full attention was directed at her. Jennifer wondered if he liked what he saw? She then cursed herself again for not looking more presentable. She looked away and headed to her father with a smile, "Yes father."

Edward, seemingly oblivious to the glances between his daughter and Bryson, motioned to the man standing beside him, "This is Angelo Auditore da Firenze." He said with an approving smile, "Angelo, this is my daughter Jennifer Scott."

Angelo gave a sweeping dramatic bow, "A pleasure to meet the daughter of the infamous Edward Kenway. Your beauty rivals the Ladies of Firenze, if not all of Italy."

Jennifer flashed a smile, "You're too kind sir."

"Complimenting a woman is never too kind." Angelo said and then motioned to the young man against the wall, "The brooding one over there is Bryson Moore."

Bryson gave a small nod of his head, but didn't move away from the wall, "A pleasure ma'am."

"A pleasure to meet you." Jennifer said, a voice a tad bit more quiet than before. The man's apparent dislike of the situation matched her own desire to not have her father leave on a possible deadly mission.

"Bah! Please don't mind him my lady, he sometimes forgets his manners." Angelo said while shooting a glare at Bryson.

"Well, now that introductions are out of the way," Edward said as he turned to Jennifer, "Angelo and I must depart on business. We should not be gone very long, a few months at most depending on the weather. Bryson will be residing here at the estate during our absence in case anything should go wrong."

Jennifer gave a slow nod, "I know father. Please be careful."

Edward bit at his lower lip and then nodded, "I will do my best Jenny. Also, don't forget that if something does happen, I want you to listen to Bryson. He has been trained to deal with trouble. He will see you to Firenze where the Order will protect you and Haytham."

"I know father."

"Promise me Jenny."

Jennifer gave a huff, but nodded, "I promise father."

Angelo gave out a hearty laugh, "A rebel that one. Reminds me of a certain young pupil of mine."

Edward gave a chuckle, "Aye." He said before stepping up and giving Jennifer a hug, "Be safe love."

"You too father." Jennifer replied, returning the hug.

They stood holding each other for a time before Edward finally stepped away, "I will." He said and then looked to Angelo, "Let’s go."

Angelo gave a nod and made his way to Bryson, where they clasped forearms, "Keep your eyes and ears open and keep her safe."

The blasé expression changed to a warming nod, "I won't let anything happen to her master."

"Good," Angelo said with a grin, "Lord help someone who tries. We see each other again."

"Be safe." Bryson said.

Angelo gave a grin and then exited the room followed by Edward. A moment later the front door opened and closed, signaling the beginning of their mission. With the flamboyant demeanor of both Assassins now gone, silence settled on the house like a cloak. Jennifer looked over to Bryson, who was looking out the window.

"I don't think the bad men are going to come the moment my father leaves." Jennifer said with a small amused smile.

Bryson tore his gaze from the window and looked to her with a sour expression, "One must remain ever vigilant in such uncertain times."

Jennifer tilted her head curiously and then gave a short giggle, "Are you going to be vigilant and stand by that window the whole time you are here?"

"Well...I..." Bryson stammered, caught off guard by the question, "Of course not. But there are some ground rules that we should establish so I can ensure your safety."

"Oh? Please, do tell." Jennifer said, still amused.

Bryson stepped away from the window and held up a finger, "First, I will approve all expeditions from the estate beforehand so the route and destination can be secured. I will also accompany you on all such trips."

Jennifer arched a brow, her smiling fading away, "I don't need your approval to go somewhere."

"Second," Bryson continued holding up a second finger, "You will refrain from telling anyone what your father is doing and where he has gone. Any strangers who begin to inquire as to your father's whereabouts will be reported to me immediately."

"Well that makes sense I suppose..." Jennifer said.

Bryson held up a third finger, "Third. All visitors to the estate are to be cleared by me first."

Jennifer gave a growl of frustration, "Now wait just a minute. I have a life outside of all of this. I have friends who will wonder why I have suddenly become a recluse, which will only draw attention to what is going on."

"And what if one of those friends is turned by a Templar and sent here to kill you? I do not mean to constrict your life, but these rules are for your safety." Bryson said.

"Well I don't like it."

"You don't have to like it. You just have to follow it."

"You don't get it do you? You aren't my husband. You can't order me around like this! I'm part of the high society of London and daughter to a respected member of society here." Jennifer said, balling up her fists.

Bryson narrowed his eyes, "I understand very well Miss Scott, obviously more than you do. Your father and my mentor are targeting one of the highest ranking members of the Freemasons, who also happens to be aligned with the Templars. They are, for all intents and purposes, one and the same entity. The fallout from this mission will have consequences, which could bring their lives in direct danger. That danger will spread to everyone connected to them, which includes you and Haytham. It can spread to your friends and their families and even the entire Order. So until the danger is passed, you will listen to me and follow my rules. Are we clear?"

Jennifer opened her mouth in surprise and stammered, "But this isn't..."

"I asked if we are clear." Bryson said.

"But..."

"Are we clear Miss Scott?"

Jennifer hanged her head in defeat, "Yes." she said quietly. This was not what she expected. She had hoped that the few months together and almost alone with the cute man would allow her to learn more about him and maybe see if he was maybe worth pursuing. After this conversation, however, she wanted nothing to do with him and his unwillingness to listen to reason. It was going to be a long winter.


	7. The Adventure Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work is to explore what could have happened after AC IV: Black Flag. In the modern day, the story follows the unnamed Abstergo employee from Black Flag, whom I have given the name of Julius Kaiser. In history, the story follows Jennifer Scott and her introduction into the Order by unexpected means when Templars begin a new quest for a new Piece of Eden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is a work of fiction using the setting presented in the Assassin's Creed world. I do not claim ownership over any copyrighted material. If you as a reader have any comments/suggestions/feedback that you would like to provide, please use the review box below. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 7: The Adventure Begins  
London, England - January 1732**

 

"I wish you never came here!" Jennifer screamed as she slammed her bedroom door. It was a snowy Friday evening and once again, Bryson had denied her request to attend a social gathering at the Wilcott residence.

Next to Christmas, the Wilcott Winter Galla was the event of the season. All of her friends would be there as would Edmund Wilcott, a young man attending Oxford for a degree in medicine. He was assigned to be her tutor by her father before his departure on his mission. In the three times she had met him over the past two months, Jennifer had come to find Edmund to be educated, kind, and handsome; everything she looked for in a man unlike Bryson Moore.

The past two months had been nothing short of miserable. The first couple of weeks were filled with the two of them butting heads over every little thing imaginable, yet, he was not overly strict on her requests to socialize. On those trips, Bryson would keep his distance, but would not remain out of sight like she thought a good Assassin would. Instead, he remained out in the open dressed in his faded clothes befitting a London commoner. It was an eye sore to those of higher station and her friends, those of wealth and power, soon stopped inviting her to gathering for not wanting her obvious shadow to tag along.

After that is when the arguments really grew in depth and anger until Bryson began to outright refused to go out at all. It was also at that time that she began her fancy with Edmund. Jennifer knew it wasn't a coincidence that Bryson was keeping her from seeing the man she was quickly growing affections for. She knew he was jealous that she liked so done other than him, though he never admitted to such acquisitions. He remained stubborn and rigid.

Their yelling matches had become a common and well known occurrence among the servant staff as well as Haytham. Jennifer's younger brother was conflicted by the growing resentment between her and Bryson. Due to Edward's subtle training with her brother, Haytham was fascinated in all things that were the Assassin Order. To see his own sister continually argue and berate a member of that Order had the unintended result of stirring rebellion and misbehavior in Haytham. Jennifer was stuck between standing up for her desires against Bryson's unreasonable defiance and Haytham tender feelings.

Jennifer walked over to her closet and began changing out of her formal dress for something more casual. There was no use in fighting Bryson about the party now that he had made up his mind. The elegant sapphire blue dress with corset was exchanged for a simple cotton dress of yellow and the freedom of breath. Once she was changed, Jennifer made her way over to her desk to remove her jewelry when she heard a loud crash from beyond the door that sounded like wood and glass breaking.

With a roll of her eyes, Jennifer made her way to the bedroom and flung it open with a dramatic flair, "Bryson! There better be nothing broken when I come down there!" She yelled. A fleeting thought gave her hope that maybe Bryson broke one of her father's priceless New World treasures. She could then use it as an excuse to finally kick him out of the house and bring her life back into order.

Another crash that sounded like dish ware came from downstairs that made Jennifer arch a brow. Bryson didn't seem so upset over their argument that he would start throwing dishes. They had worse arguments than the one this evening without resorting to destruction of property.

"Bryson?" Jennifer called out as she started making her way towards the staircase. When no reply came, she made her way down the stairs and cautiously made her way down the hallway towards the study where Bryson usually spent his time.

As Jennifer reached for the doorknob, she saw something move from the corner of her eye. In that moment she felt her body freeze in fear. Did the Templars come to kill after all? Did her father fail in his mission? Was her father dead? Was she about to die? Was Haytham ok? All of these questions made her question everything that happened over the past two months with Bryson and hope that her antics about a party had not drove him away from the house, leaving them unprotected when they needed it the most.

Jennifer slowly turned her head to the right to see a man of average size step out from the shadows. He was dressed in dark, nondescript clothing and a traditional English broad sword with a church cross designed into the crossbar in his hand. She tried to scream, but her fear gripped her tighter than the worse metal-boned corset.

The man took a step forward as a grin peeked from behind his scowl. He licked his lips as he raised his sword to cut Jennifer down where she stood, unable to move from her own dread of seeing death stalk her. Yet, instead of closing her eyes, she watched in horror as the sword began its heavy fall towards her face.

The sword never made it to her tender flesh as Bryson crashed through the door and barreled into her at full force. Jennifer crashed to the ground hard, the impact loosening the grip that fear had upon her. A flood of worry and uncertainty came crashing into her mind as she tried to piece together what was happening. They were being attacked by men with religious crosses on their swords. It meant that her father indeed did run into trouble and now the Templars and the Freemasons were coming after her and Haytham. 

Jennifer looked up to see Bryson standing over top of her with his sword out and crossed against the attacker's blade. Blood was running down his right arm for what looked like a sword wound as he tried to push the Templar's sword away. The attacker, however, pressed in with more force and drove Bryson back a step. Overpowered by the man, Bryson tripped over Jennifer's leg and fell back onto the floor, his sword dislodged from his hand and clattering to the ground next to Jennifer. The Templar then surged forward for the kill with his sword pointed at Bryson's chest.

Jennifer was faster. Acting on pure instinct, she lashed with her leg to kick the Templar in the knee. She then grabbed Bryson's sword and made a one-handed swing at the Templar's face. The blade made a shallow cut along the man's cheek that momentarily blinded him with pain and blood.

Bryson took the opening he needed and scrambled to his feet. With a flick of his wrist he extended his hidden blade and jumped onto the Templar, driving it into the Templar's neck. Bryson rode the a Templar to the ground as he died gurgling on his own blood.

"Oh my god. Oh my god." Jennifer stammered as she dropped the blood tipped sword to the ground and out her hand to her face, "What have I done?"

Bryson stood up from the Templar and turned to face Jennifer. Partially lit in the candlelight from the study, the young man almost looked like her father with his strong build and determined demeanor. He held out his hand to Jennifer, "Don't worry about that right now. We need to get Haytham and leave."

Jennifer's eyes went wide as she thought of her brother, "My God! Haytham! He's upstairs in his room." She said as she quickly got to her feet with Bryson's help.

"Let's go." Bryson said as he led her to the stairs still holding onto her hand.

The two raced up the stairs and down the hall to Haytham's room. When they reached the door, they found that it was already open. Bryson did not pause as he moved into the room, finding another man in black clothing standing above a sleeping Haytham with his sword held high for the killing blow.

As Jennifer entered and saw her little brother in imminent danger, she screamed in horror. The sudden scream caused the a Templar to pause and turn around, just in time for Bryson to barrel into him with his hidden blade driving into his gut. The two then went crashing to the bed, struggling to gain dominance over the other.

Haytham woke up and immediately screamed as he saw Bryson and the man fighting for position. Jennifer rushed a crossed the room to her brother and scooped him out of the bed much to his relief. He flung his arms around neck and began crying from not understanding what was happening.

A punch to the face by the Templar sent Bryson reeling back off the bed. The man then scrambled to his feet and quickly looked around for his sword and saw it on the floor. He picked up the sword and turned to face Jennifer and Bryson with a cruel glare, "Now you die." He growled.

Jennifer looked around and saw that Bryson was still struggling to get to his feet. She backed away from the Templar until she bumped into the wall next to the bedroom window. There was no place to run and no place to hide. Jennifer looked to the Templar and felt a calming feeling wash over her as she stared death in the face. The fear of death left her mind and she was left with the ability to think clearly. Bryson was down and not able to help. She was holding a scared Haytham, which prevented her attacking the Templar. The only advantage she had on her side was that the Templar thought of her as a scared girl. That she could use to her advantage.

As the Templar rushed her with his sword pointed at the two of them, Jennifer waited until the last possible moment to move. She then sidestepped to the right, called upon her dancing lessons to guide her feet. The sword bit deeply into the wall beside her, though the blade was close enough to cut her dress and draw blood along her hip. Jennifer then lashed out with her foot and kicked the Templar in the groin.

The Templar crumbled to the ground with a groan while Jennifer ran towards the door stilling holding Haytham. Halfway through the door, however, Jennifer paused and looked back to Bryson who was still trying to clear away the fog from being punched in the head.

For a brief moment she considered leaving the Assassin behind to deal with the Templar so she could make her escape. It would be her chance to finally be rid of the young man who had made her life a living hell for the past two months. Yet, as he groggily got to his feet, she remembered that he also saved her life and vowed to continue doing so. She knew nothing of fighting and surviving. She always declined her father's offer to teach her the skills of being an Assassin, but she never thought it would be so etching that she would need. Now she regretted that decision and was now forced to take Bryson's help, even if she didn't like him.

"Bryson!" Jennifer called out to get his attention.

Bryson slowly looked over to her as he held his head with one hand. He nodded in acknowledgment and got to his feet with the help from the bed. He then made his way to the door, "Let's go." He said weakly.

As the three of them ran down the stairs and out of the house, Jennifer took one last look back and wondered if she would ever be able to return home. The one seemingly impossible result of her father's mission had just come true and she was now on her way to Italy with nothing but her house dress, her dear innocent brother she loved, and a young assassin whom she disliked. It was the beginning of an adventure that she knew she was going to hate.

Bryson, now more recovered from his head wound, quickly exited the house. Their hope to obtain horses was dashed as they saw three more Templars entering the stables. Not wanting to risk more confrontation, Bryson led Jennifer and Haytham into the darkness as snow began to fall.


	8. Flight of the Doe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work is to explore what could have happened after AC IV: Black Flag. In the modern day, the story follows the unnamed Abstergo employee from Black Flag, whom I have given the name of Julius Kaiser. In history, the story follows Jennifer Scott and her introduction into the Order by unexpected means when Templars begin a new quest for a new Piece of Eden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is a work of fiction using the setting presented in the Assassin's Creed world. I do not claim ownership over any copyrighted material. If you as a reader have any comments/suggestions/feedback that you would like to provide, please use the review box below. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 8: Flight of the Doe  
London, England - January 1732**

And they ran.

Jennifer held onto Haytham with all of her strength as she followed Bryson through the wooded lands surrounding the Kenway estate. A flood of emotions threatened to reduce her to tears, but she held it back while biting her bottom lip. She needed to be strong for Haytham who didn't understand what was going on, he only knew that people were trying to kill both of them. He was too young to be expected to keep his wits about him so she needed to do it for him. It also meant she had to come to grips with what happened.

The snow surrounding the Kenway Estate was only ankle deep as they ran until they reached the wild, unkept area. Untouched by the land keepers, the snow quickly became deeper, coming up to almost her knees. The chilly winter air was also now starting to creep past the adrenaline rush and register on her body. In their haste to leave, there was no time to grab their heavy coats, leaving them in their normal house clothing. Poor Haytham wasn't even wearing shoes.

After reaching a densegrouping of trees, Bryson held up his hand as he came to a stop. He then crouched down in the snow while looking out into the forest.

Jennifer came up just behind him and knelt in the snow, "What is it?" She whispered.

"I saw someone moving around in the forest. It could be a Templar." Bryson whispered back, "Stay here. I'm going to check it out."

Jennifer reached out to grabbed Bryson's arm, "Don't leave me here alone."

Bryson looked over to her and gave a reassuring smile, "I'm not going to leave you. Just stay close to that tree over there and keep quiet."

"Ok." Jennifer said and made her way over to a large oak tree. She then turned and watched Bryson stalk into the dark forest, easily slipping out of her field of vision as he extended his hidden blade from the underside of his arm.

Once he was gone from view, Jennifer stayed huddled with Haytham against the oak tree and strained to listen for anything that would give a hint as to what was happening. All she could hear, however, was the rustling of the trees and the whistle of the wind. Several moments passed of stillness until she saw Bryson reemerge from the woods with blood over his hand and hidden blade. There was also now a broad sword tucked into his belt.

Jennifer stepped out from behind the tree holding Haytham tight to her body, "Is it ok now?"

"I only found one." Bryson said with a nod, "We should get moving."

"Bryson, we need to find shelter." Jennifer called out.

Bryson shook his head, "No time. We need to get to the harbor quickly. The Sea Lion sets sail this evening for France. We need to get on that ship."

"But Bryson, it's freezing out here. We don't have coats and Haytham doesn't even have shoes." Jennifer said.

Bryson gave a frown, "It isn't far to the harbor. We can make it in time, but we have to move."

"But Bryson..." Jennifer started to say.

"Jennifer, right now you are going to need to trust me now," Bryson said, holding out his hand to her, "Can you do that for me?"

Jennifer looked to Bryson and bit her bottom lip. Her mind told her that it may not be a good idea. He was young and inexperienced. She and Haytham had near met their deaths twice now under his watch. Yet, her heart told her that he despite that, he did actually mean to protect her and was willing to kill without pause to ensure their safety. She had to admit that she and Haytham would have a better chance at surviving with Bryson than not.

"All right." Jennifer said quietly taking his offered hand, "Let's go."

Bryson took her hand and they started running once again.

The snow crunched underneath Jennifer's soft soled slippers and the cold wetness was soaking through the material. By the time they reached the main road, her feet were numb from the cold and she was starting to shiver from the cold air that went through her thin dress. Poor little Haytham was clenching tightly to her body, trying to burrow himself into her chest seeking warmth.

At this time of night, the main road was only lightly populated with people traveling to and from London proper. Being on the outskirts of the city, while good for keeping common folk away, also meant it they were too far to walk the whole way to the city or the harbor. In the middle of winter is house clothes would make a walk nigh impossible.

"Bryson, we need horses." Jennifer said as he teeth chattered.

Bryson gave a nod as he looked around. He then paused as he looked down the road. His eyes went wide and he then grabbed Jennifer's arm and yanked her into a run, "Templars!"

Jennifer looked down the road as Bryson pulled her along. About a hundred yards down she saw four men dressed in white cloaks in lantern light from their carriage that was blocking the road. Whatever her father did with Angelo, they must have severely pissed off the Templars and Freemasons for them to come after her with so many men and resources.

The three of them ran across the road towards a homestead located on open ground. To the side of the house was a large barn and pasture covered in snow as well as a frozen pond that would normally provide drinking water for animals. Bryson led Jennifer to the house, but before they could reach the front door, it opened to show a trio of men in white cloaks with a Red Cross sewn on their white tunics.

The Templars thanked a person inside for their help and then froze as they saw the three running towards the house. In their blood covered clothes, it was obvious who they were and being out in the open, there was no place to duck for cover. The Templar in the center pointed out to them and called out for them to stop.

"Dammit." Bryson hissed as he skidded to a halt, still holding Jennifer's hand. He then drew the broad sword at his belt and stepped forward, "Stay behind me." He said to Jennifer.

Jennifer nodded quickly as she pulled her hand away and held tightly onto Haytham. She watched as Bryson then moved towards the Templars with his sword held in front of him. The Templars, seeing the armed man, drew their own swords and advanced side by side to attack.

The Templar to the right charged first, eager to start the fight. He swung his sword high, hoping to take Bryson's head in one blow. The Assassin easily ducked the swing and stepped to the side before lashing out with his sword. The blade bit deeply into the Templars stomach and spilled his intestines out onto the white snow.

The second Templar ran in, though more cautious as he made a power lunge for Bryson's heart. With a flick of his arm, Bryson used his sword to bat away the thrust. He then stepped inside the Templar's reach and extended his hidden blade before shoving it into the man's throat. More hot blood fell onto the white snow covered ground.

With two Templar's already dead, Bryson turned to face the third, who advanced on him quickly. The Templar made a controlled swing at Bryson, who blocked it with his sword. When he attempted to counter attack, the Templar drew a long dagger and deflected the attack. The surprise defense caused Bryson to hop back a step and consider his options.

Jennifer took a step back as well as she watched Bryson efficiently kill two armed men in just as many breaths. Now that the element of surprise was over, she was amazed out of well-trained her protector actually was. His movements were fluid and enacted with complete confidence in his abilities. This must have been what her father meant when he said she would be ok. Then there was the flow of his hair in the air as he whirled around to narrowly avoid a sword swing and the way his muscles went rigid as he counterattacked. Bryson was a beautiful man, even when in the depths of possible of death.

Yet, there was something nagging at the back of her mind that she couldn't quite place. It was as if she forgot about something important. Jennifer then chanced a glance around and then went wide-eyed when she saw four Templars from the road blockade moving in their direction.

"Bryson!" Jennifer yelled, "They're coming from behind!"


	9. Blood and Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work is to explore what could have happened after AC IV: Black Flag. In the modern day, the story follows the unnamed Abstergo employee from Black Flag, whom I have given the name of Julius Kaiser. In history, the story follows Jennifer Scott and her introduction into the Order by unexpected means when Templars begin a new quest for a new Piece of Eden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is a work of fiction using the setting presented in the Assassin's Creed world. I do not claim ownership over any copyrighted material. If you as a reader have any comments/suggestions/feedback that you would like to provide, please use the review box below. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 9: Blood and Ice  
London, England - January 1732**

Jennifer didn't know what to do. Bryson was still fighting the Templar in front of them while four more were running up from behind them. She didn't see a way to get away. For her, it was more important that Haytham got away, but he was only seven years old and wouldn't know what to do on his own. If they were going to survive, Jennifer was going to need to fight.

Setting Haytham on the ground, she looked into his eyes and shushed him quiet, "Haytham, you need to listen to me."

Haytham wiped his crying eyes and nodded slowly, "Ok Jenny."

"I need you to be a big boy now. Can you do that for me?"

"I can do that."

Jennifer gave a reassuring smile, "Good, now stay close to me and Bryson ok? I need to stop the bad men from trying to take us away."

Haytham gave a nod, "Be careful Jenny."

"I will." Jennifer said before picking up one of the swords from a fallen Templar. It was heavy in her hand and felt unwieldy. She then then turned and faced the four Templars running towards her with their swords out. Jennifer had no idea how she was going to fight four trained men when she didn't know the first about sword fighting. If she charged them, she would just be killed in a matter of moments. She needed to be smart and think her way through the situation.

Considering her options, Jennifer needed to even the odds more against the four charging Templars. That meant she needed to free Bryson from fighting the Templar from the house. She turned around and screamed as she charged the Templar pressing his attack on Bryson.

The battle cry took the Templar by surprise, forcing him to redirect his attention to the new threat. That second of pause was all Bryson needed to act. The young assassin slipped inside the Templar's reach as he extended his hidden blade. With a quick slash, Bryson cut a long gash across the Templar's stomach, who yelled out in pain. Bryson then ducked low underneath a wild sword swing and plunged the hidden blade into the side of the thigh, slicing through the artery. He then stabbed the Templar in the groin before spinning out of the way of another errant sword swing. Now, standing behind the Templar, Bryson rammed his blade into the man's spine. the blow dropped him to the ground in a bloody mess.

Jennifer's charge came to a stop just before reaching the now dying Templar, "I was going to help..."

Bryson flashed a smile, "And you did." he said and then looked behind her to the running reinforcements, "Come on, we need to get out of here."

"Haytham!" Jennifer called out and turned to see her brother moving away from the battle towards the barn.

The two quickly took off after Haytham, running through the snow and onto frozen pond. Just as they were halfway across, Jennifer heard a gunshot sound off behind her and shards of ice explode next to her. She looked back behind her and saw the Templars had drawn pistols and were taking aim. A second shot rang out and caught Bryson in the shoulder. The impact knocked him down to the ice, causing cracks in the frozen pond to appear. The third shot missed her barely as she sliced to a stop to go back for Bryson.

"Get out of here!" Bryson yelled as he tried to pick himself off the ice, causing more cracks to spiral across the ice.

Jennifer shook her head, "I can't leave without you!" Jennifer said, grabbing Bryson's good arm to try and hoist him to his feet.

Before Bryson could get to his feet, the fourth pistol shoot sounded off and Jennifer felt hot pain explode from her shoulder as the bullet knocked her back onto the ice. She had never experienced pain like this before and it felt like her shoulder was on fire that overloaded her senses. The first thing she did was turn to look for Haytham and saw him standing on land in front of the barn. He was looking back at her with terror covering his face and screaming out her name.

"Bryson, get Haytham out of here." Jennifer said as she struggled to get back up to her feet. More cracks appeared in the ice as she moved and pressed more weight onto the quickly destabilizing ice.

Bryson shook his head, "We'll get out of this together." He said with a grunt as he slowly got to his feet and held out his good arm to her.

Jennifer looked up at the young man and took his arm to get to her feet. Another series of audible cracks sounded off from the ice that prompted them both to begin running. A quick look behind them told Jennifer that the Templars were running after them while also trying to reload their pistols and it wouldn't be long before they were finished.

The two ran across the pond and finally reached the barn where Haytham was waiting for them when the first gunshot rang out. The bullet hit the ice just behind them, which caused the spider web of cracks to finally give way to a massive break in the ice. The fissure snaked its way across the pond to where the Templars stood on the other end. With their combined weight, the ice finally gave way and plunged them into the frigid water of the pond.

Jennifer collapsed onto the snow in front of Haytham and wrapped him into a hug. Her shoulder still hurt like nothing else she had felt before, but the sense of relief at surviving allowed her a moment of peace.

"Jennifer, we have to go." Bryson said as he watched the pond closely. The Templars were struggling to remove themselves for the pond, but having a difficult time with the ice and the freezing temperature of the water.

"To the boat, I know." Jennifer said as she stood up slowly, "Let's go."

Without further delay, the three made their way from the homestead and back into the countryside. Jennifer knew that the route made sense; it was too likely that there could be more Templar agents watching the main road into the city. That meant that they would be forced to continue to run through the snow covered forest for several miles until they reached the city proper near the port.

After less than a mile, however, Jennifer felt her strength began to leave her body. She felt sluggish and tired as if she had gotten too little sleep after an all-day riding session with her father. When she slowed down, both Bryson and Haytham looked back to her with looks of concern.

"Jennifer, we have to keep moving." Bryson said.

Jennifer gave a weak nod, "I know. I just need to rest a moment."

Bryson walked over to her, looked to the wound on her shoulder and then frowned, "You're bleeding too much. Why didn't you say something?"

"I...I don't know." Jennifer said quietly. Her vision then began to blur and spin as her adrenaline finally began to wear off. Combined with the pain of the bullet wound, loss of blood, and more physical activity than she was used to, Jennifer's body finally said no more and she collapsed onto the snow covered ground.

"Jenny!" Haytham cried as he ran over to his sister.

The last thing Jennifer saw was her brother and Bryson looked down at her with the moon shining in the sky behind them.


	10. New Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work is to explore what could have happened after AC IV: Black Flag. In the modern day, the story follows the unnamed Abstergo employee from Black Flag, whom I have given the name of Julius Kaiser. In history, the story follows Jennifer Scott and her introduction into the Order by unexpected means when Templars begin a new quest for a new Piece of Eden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is a work of fiction using the setting presented in the Assassin's Creed world. I do not claim ownership over any copyrighted material. If you as a reader have any comments/suggestions/feedback that you would like to provide, please use the review box below. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 10: New Discovery  
London, England - January 1732**

 

Jennifer opened her eyes to see the snow covered forest marred by a trail of red leading up to where she was sitting up against a tree. Haytham was quietly looking out into the forest with his back to her. He looked more grown up than yesterday as if the near death experience pushed aside the little buoy and replaced it with a young man.

Even at seven years of age, Haytham showed more intelligence than others of his age. He still played and laughed like other little boys, but there was a look behind his eyes that showed he was always thinking and listening. It was a look that she saw in her father and one that Edward said she also possessed.

To her right sat Bryson, quietly sitting and wrapping up her shoulder with a sleeve ripped off from his shirt. His face was determined, but showed no fear or worry, which made Jennifer relax a bit. When she turned her head to look at him, his eyes met hers and they both gave a smile.

"You blacked out from shock and some blood loss," Bryson explained, "I've managed to get the bleeding under control, but you will need proper cleaning and stitching soon to make sure it doesn't fester."

Jennifer gave a slow nod, "Thank you Bryson." She said quietly.

Bryson nodded, "Do you think you can move now? If we hurry, we can still make the ship."

"I think so." Jennifer said and tried to stand to her feet. Pain rushed down her body, which caused her to wince and brace against the tree to steady herself.

"Easy there." Bryson said as he reached out with his hand to help.

Jennifer took a brief and tried to block the pain from her mind. After a few moments, the pain began to dim to a dull roar. She gave Bryson a weak smile, "I'll be ok."

Bryson nodded and moved over to Haytham and touched the boy on the shoulder, "Time to go." The boy nodded and quickly got to his feet.

The three made their way through the forest until they finally reached the city proper. It was late in the evening as they stepped onto the cobble streets of London. On most nights, the streets would still be filled with people going about their nightly lives of parties and work. With the docks nearby, carts and wagons filled with supplies and goods were commonly moving up and down the streets. This night, however, the heavy winter snowfall effectively shut down the usually vibrant streets.

Brush paused at the mouth of the alley and looked over the street for any signs of trouble. He then frowned and looked back over to Jennifer and Haytham, "Something doesn't feel right." He said quietly.

"What is it?" Jennifer asked.

"I don't see any Templars on the streets."

"But that's a good thing."

Bryson shook his head, "Considering how many came after us at your estate, I was certain that they would post some guards near the docks just in case we managed to give the others the slip."

"Maybe they're hiding?"

"Possible." Bryson said with a shrug, "Stay here with Haytham for a few minutes while I check it out."

Jennifer nodded and kept a close hold on her little brother as Bryson slide into the shadows and onto the street. From the relative safety of the alley Jennifer watched as Bryson slowly scouted the area, using the various benches, boxes and shrubs along the sides of the roads to hide his presence.

After several minutes and observation, Bryson finally returned, "I spotted several lookouts along the street from inside the buildings. Apparently even Templars don't even want to be out in this weather."

Jennifer gave a frown, "Neither should we. So how do we get to the ship?"

Bryson thought for a few moments before giving a sigh, "The only thing I can think of is to use a disguise to sneak past them."

"Ok, I'm willing to try. We don't have anything to disguise ourselves with though." Jennifer said.

"Follow me. I saw a clothing boutique not too far from here." Bryson said before back down the alley to the rear of the buildings.

Jennifer took Haytham's hand and quickly followed, "But Bryson, I left my purse back at the estate. We don't have any money and they probably are not even open."

Bryson looked back at Jennifer with a sly grin, "Who said anything about paying for it?"

"You want to steal the clothes?" Jennifer asked, pausing mid stride, "I've never stolen anything before."

"Never stolen anything? You mean to tell me that the daughter of the infamous pirate Edward Kenway has never stolen anything?" Bryson asked in shock.

Jennifer gave a huff, "Now listen here mister. I am a respectable woman. I would never break the law to suit my needs."

Bryson gave a chuckle and shook his head, "Well, there is a first for everything I suppose. Just keep quiet and stay low."

"I just want to say for the record that I'm against this idea." Jennifer said.

"Yes your highness." Bryson said and began moving quietly along the buildings until they reached a one-story structure painted a soft baby blue with white trimming.

Jennifer remained quiet as Bryson reached into his pocket and withdrew a small leather roll. Within he revealed several lock picks of various sizes and shapes. He withdrew two of them and began working on the lock to the back door of the boutique. A moment later there was an audible click and the door opened.

"Whoa!" Haytham said as he peered from behind Jennifer, "How did you do that?"

Bryson gave a grin as he put the lock picks away back in his leather roll. "The picks are used to push the pins inside the lock correctly."

Haytham nodded, completely enthralled by the thought of picking locks.

"Maybe I can teach you one day." Bryson said before opening the door and walking inside the boutique. The store was a simple open floor plan with racks and shelves of clothes, hats, handbags, and shoes. At the rear of the shop was a modest office with inventory neatly stored and a desk with several ledgers of business.

Jennifer quietly looked over the clothing and pursed her lips. The clothing on display were still from last season's fashion of black fur trimmed coats, bold and solid colored dresses, and hats with a bouquet of flowers attached to the side. A woman of her stature wouldn't be caught dead in such clothing as fashion had already turned to muted pastels and veiled hats. In addition, the clothing in the store was discounted and probably made in France. The men's clothing was also out of date with muted earth tones. In short, they were all completely out of the question.

When Jennifer turned around to Bryson to voice her objection, the young assassin thrust a blue dress with floral outlined in white at her. "Put this one." He said quickly and then left to grab a very common looking black trousers and white shirt.

"I can't wear this." Jennifer said, holding the dress with just two fingers as if it were diseased.

"This is no time to be a princess. Remember when I said disguise? That means dressing in something you wouldn't normally wear." Bryson said as he grabbed a wide brim hat from a shelf.

"But it's horrendous!" Jennifer said.

Bryson gave her a glare, "It’s better than being killed." He said before taking off his shirt and dropping it on the floor.

Jennifer couldn't help but stare. In the many months that Bryson had stayed at the estate, she had never actually seen him unclothed. He had a warrior's physique of hardened muscles with hard cut definitions that caught her breath in her throat. His tanned skin was also marred with several old scars that crisscrossed along his defined stomach. He then unbuckled his belt and was about to drop his leather trousers to floor when he looked up at her and grinned.

"I...uh..." Jennifer stammered, feeling her temperature rise quickly and her face go flush. Despite the constant bickering they did, she felt an immediate need to touch his skin and explore every inch of his body. She then felt a lustful need to taste his lips as her nipples went stiff with excitement. She quickly turned around as to try and get control of herself.

"You should hurry up and change. You can use the office in the back." Bryson said.

Jennifer nodded and quickly left the room with the blue dress clutched tightly to her chest. Once she was in the office and shut the door behind her, she put her hand to her chest and tried to restore control over her feelings. She didn't want to like Bryson, but her body was telling her that it wanted him. Jennifer had never felt this way before about a man. There had been passing fancies and interest, but never a hard to control lust that made her body hot. She didn't know what to do about it, but now was not the time to think about it. They still needed to get to the ship alive and that meant changing clothes.

The blue dress was still horrendous to her eyes, but Jennifer swallowed her pride and began stripping out of her simple house dress. Once she was down to her undergarments, Jennifer neatly folded the house dress and put it on the desk. She then started to try and slip into the new dress, but she quickly found out that the dress was a size too small. Jennifer was not a large girl by any means, but its design was for a slimmer woman with small breasts. She was neither of these things with an athletic build and a generous sized bosom. The first thing that came to her mind was to get a dress of a larger size, but that would probably take too long and what if they didn't have one? Jennifer then considered her undergarments. They were a simple white cotton covering that did add bulk to her size. If she were to remove it, she might be able to squeeze into the dress. Considering the time constraints, Jennifer grumbled as she removed the undergarments.

Now that she stood naked, Jennifer took notice of the cold winter air and quickly slipped back into the blue dress. Without the undergarments, the dress finally slid into place and was snug against her body. Yet, because of the tight fit, she needed help with the front clasp bodice. After several tries to do it herself, a sigh escaped her lips as Jennifer realized Bryson was going to have to help, which would put his strong hands right at her cleavage. Again, because of the situation a shortage of time, Jennifer had little recourse. She clenched her fists and took a deep breath before making her way out of the office.

Back in the main showroom floor, Bryson had already changed clothes and was helping Haytham with an oversized shirt. When they heard Jennifer exit the room, they both looked up at her. Haytham gave a big smile, "You look pretty Jenny."

Jennifer's arms were currently crossed over her chest to hold the bodice in place. She gave her little brother a smile, "Thank you Haytham." She said quietly before looking at Bryson, "I need help."

Bryson lifted a brow as his eyes trailed from her face down to her arm covered chest, “I...uh...sure.” he stammered and walked over to Jennifer and stood in front of her to block Haytham’s direct line of sight.

“No funny business now.” Jennifer said through pursed lips, “I’ll hold and you clasp it.”

“You have nothing to fear from me.” Bryson said with a reassuring smile.

Jennifer moved her hands to her sides and held the bodice in place as best as she could while not also giving Bryson a glimpse of her breasts. She then watched him closely as he began to clasp the bodice closed starting from the bottom. His strong, yet nimble hands easily worked each clasp and as he progressed upward, her cleavage became more pronounced right at Bryson’s eye level.

When Bryson finally reached the final clasp, she felt his fingers brush along her tender flesh that almost made her gasp. Bryson made a quick glance to Jennifer’s face, which in turn made her blush slightly. At that moment she could feel desire swelling up inside her once again. She wanted to rip off his clothes and kiss him all over. In the end, however, she was able to contain herself, if only barely.

After the final clasp was closed, Bryson took a step back and drank in her appearance and then gave an approving nod, “You look amazing.” he said.

The bodice of the dress felt like torture to her and it felt like she could barely breath. Still, she gave a nod, “Now the hat and a cloak. It may look nice, but it doesn’t do much to fend off the cold.” Jennifer said.

“Of course.” Bryson said and quickly grabbed a hat and cloak from a nearby stand and helped her put them on.

Haytham clapped his hands, “Are we ready to go?”

Jennifer stepped over to a mirror and took a look at herself. The tight fitting dress and bodice actually did a remarkable job of changed her physical look to appear as a very thin woman rather than an athletic one. The hat and cloak did a good job of masking her appearance as well. When combined with the ample amount of cleavage the bodice gave, most men would end of looking there rather than her face. It would do in a pinch, which is all they had.

“I think so.” Jennifer finally said and looked over to Bryson who was putting on a cloak himself.

Bryson gave a dashing smile at her, which combined with the new clothing, made Jennifer think of Bryson as a pirate rather than a young assassin. The look suited him more than the simple clothing he normally wore or the unstylish outfit that assassins wore. As well, she had a soft spot of pirates thanks to her father.

As much as she hated to admit it, Jennifer was discovering that she might actually like Bryson and that made her swoon and growl in annoyance all at the same time.


	11. Saying Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work is to explore what could have happened after AC IV: Black Flag. In the modern day, the story follows the unnamed Abstergo employee from Black Flag, whom I have given the name of Julius Kaiser. In history, the story follows Jennifer Scott and her introduction into the Order by unexpected means when Templars begin a new quest for a new Piece of Eden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is a work of fiction using the setting presented in the Assassin's Creed world. I do not claim ownership over any copyrighted material. If you as a reader have any comments/suggestions/feedback that you would like to provide, please use the review box below. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 11: Saying Goodbye  
London, England - January 1732**

Large flakes of snow began to fall as Jennifer, Bryson, and Haytham snuck out the back of the clothing boutique. The tight blue dress that Jennifer worse was unforgiving to her body as she tried to walk quietly behind the buildings to the nearest alley. Without her undergarments, the bitter cold air went right through the material and sent a shiver up her spine. The cloak from the boutique helped a bit, but Jennifer was already longing for a fire to warm up.

Bryson remained quiet as he led them to the alley and then towards the opening to the street. Before walking out, he paused against the wall and looked back to Jennifer and Haytham, "This is it. Just try to remain calm and casual as we make our way to the harbor. We should, for the sake of appearances, appear to be a family. It will help sell the disguise."

Jennifer gave a nod, "All right."

"We can hold hands!" Haytham exclaimed. Both Bryson and Jennifer gave a chuckle.

"Sure thing kid." Bryson said as he held out his hand to Haytham who took it happily. He then held out his hand to Jennifer.

Jennifer reached out and tentatively took Bryson's hand in hers. His larger hand felt warm to the touch despite the winter cold and she then remembered the way his fingers felt over her cleavage as he secured her bodice. The memory and the mere touch of his hand sent a more personal shiver down her body. Jennifer kept quiet on the matter and instead just lightly bit her bottom lip.

Bryson was completely oblivious to the whole thing and nodded to Jennifer silently to signal it was time to go.

The three stepped out onto the street holding hands. Jennifer immediately began looking around for the Templar spies look outs that Bryson mentioned, but all she saw was closed windows with curtains drawn. Her first instinct was to run for the docks, but she contained her fear and matched Bryson's pace.

As they walked towards the harbor, Bryson gave Jennifer's hand a light squeeze, "You're doing fine." He whispered to her.

"I don't feel fine. I feel like I need to run." Jennifer whispered back.

"Just keep walking and it will be ok." Bryson said.

After several minutes of walking and staying close to one another, the group finally approached the harbor of London. Long stretches of piers held all manner of ships from little row boats to clippers and frigates. Larger ships such as man'o'war usually weighed anchor in the bay due to their large size. Due to the winter season, however, the number of ships in the harbor was reduced and mostly inactive. A few sailors and dock crew could be seen moving about, but there was little activity in which the three of them could slip into to hide their presence. The largest contingency of people was at the entrance to the docks were men dressed in simple black cloaks with silver heraldry of triangle and fine silk clothing were inspecting those people attempting to gain entrance.

"A check point." Bryson said with a frown.

"Can we go around?" Jennifer asked quietly.

Bryson looked around the area and then shook his head, "No time. Just follow my lead."

Jennifer nodded and tightened her grip on Bryson's hand as they walked up to the checkpoint. She kept a close eye on the men in fine clothing and their diligence in looking over the people trying to gain access to the harbor. None of the men carried any swords that she could see, though they each did have a pistol with gold plated handles secured at their belts.

After the group of three sailors in front of them were allowed to pass, the three of them stepped up to the man in charge. He looked middle aged with a neatly trimmed mustache and goatee along with wire rimmed glasses perched high on his nose. The man put up a gloved hand to motion them to stop.

"State your business." The man said with a deep, yet soothing voice that held a touch of Gaelic dialect to it.

Bryson flashed a smile, "My good sir, I am late for an appointment with the captain of the Constance." He said, his accent switching from proper English to something harsher that sounded like it was from somewhere near Bulgaria, "If you would be so kind as to step aside to allow the lady and I to pass."

The guard raised a brow, "What sort of business?"

"Trade with Lycia." Bryson replied.

"What sort of trade?" The man asked.

Bryson gave an annoyed huff, "I do not have time for this line of questions good sir. Step aside before you force me to miss the ship." He said and attempted to sidestep the finely dressed man.

The guard, however, moved in front of Bryson, "I find it odd that you would bring a lady and child in such weather to speak with a ship's captain about trade. It so happens that there are fugitives on the run matching your party's numbers and gender. So I ask again good sir, what sort of trade?"

There was a pause of silence as Bryson tried to think of something to say when Jennifer flashed a smile and slid up to Bryson's side, pressing herself firmly to his arm that caused her cleavage to swell, "My good sir, we trade in the finest English wool and clothing during the winter season with a full shipment due to arrive in short order for the less than fortunate. The Barius Trading Company of Rome is our business partner in Italy and all our papers are in order onboard the Constance."

Taken aback by Jennifer's forwardness, the guard was speechless for a moment before regaining his stature, "And you are Miss?"

Jennifer gasped in surprise, "You do not know who I am?" She asked and then looked to Bryson who was trying conceal his surprise as well, "He doesn't know who I am." She said.

"My dear lady, perhaps he is new to this city." Bryson said.

"I have called London home for many years now actually." The guard said.

Jennifer put her free hand on her hip, "I am the Lady Angelica Fortinier Sidwell of the Sidwell Consortium. Perhaps I shall call my father from his bed to settle this matter and you can explain to him why we are not able to access our ship."

The guard took a step back, "Lady Sidwell? My...my apologies my Lady. Please understand that we are only trying to find fugitives at large." He stammered and then stepped to the side, "You may go with my apologies."

"Thank you good sir and I accept your apology. Have a good evening." Jennifer said before she started walking with Bryson and Haytham in tow.

After the three were far enough away from the guard that they could not be heard, Bryson leaned in close to Jennifer, "That was some quick thinking."

"My father made sure I understood how ships work as well as the shipping industry. Part of being a pirate is knowing how trade works and who the best targets are." Jennifer said with a smile on her face to keep up appearances and hid the fact that she was nervous on the inside.

Bryson smiled in return, "But being a pirate never crossed your mind?"

"No," Jennifer said, shaking her head, "The life of a pirate is not for me."

"I understand. You lie very well though. Very smooth."

"I am still my father's daughter after all."

"But your mother is what kept you in the circles of high society?"

"Yes, to a degree. It was also my father's desire to live a somewhat normal life with Haytham and I. Part of it was that I didn't pursue his lifestyle out of respect for his choice to change how he lived. He missed out on my childhood and wanted to make amends for that and when Haytham came about, he got a second chance."

"What about now?" Bryson asked, sensing there was something left unsaid.

Jennifer gave a sigh, "But now I wonder if he will miss the change that Haytham will undergo from boy to man. Part of why I stayed with my father is because he gave up his lifestyle to be with me at that critical point when I needed him the most. Now there is this mission for the Order that has gone wrong. He may be captured or worse dead. If he isn't around, I would have to raise Haytham the rest of the way to manhood and I don't know if I can do that. He needs a father just as much as I did. Without my father, I fear the worst."

Bryson gave a nod, "Don't give up hope just yet. Your father will hopefully return soon. Until then, the Order can be his father and mother."

"No offense, but I'm not so sure that is a good idea. He is just a boy with wild dreams. Our way of life hasn't prepared us for this."

"It may be time to say goodbye to your way of life Jennifer. With what has happened, I cannot promise that things will ever go back to the way they were." Bryson said.

Jennifer gave a sigh, "I know." She said quietly.

"Is that the ship?" Haytham asked, pointing to a large frigate at the end of the dock. It was a well used ship, but still in good condition with red trim and the word Constance written in bold white letters on the aft.

The last of the cargo containers were being loaded onto the ship and the sailors were already starting file onto the ship as the three approached. Bryson let go of Jennifer's hand and quickened his pace up to the plank leading up to the ship. A large bald and burly man dressed in blue trousers, a blue sash, and a dirty white shirt.

A scowl came to life on the large man's face as he looked over Bryson. He told Bryson to leave, but Bryson held his ground and demanded to speak with the captain, saying something about roses in moonlight. The phrase quickly changed the demeanor of the man, who then called out for a Captain Thorn. A few moments later, a well-dressed man in blue and white descended the plank to Bryson. He looked young for a ship's captain, reminding Jennifer of her father and his time as a captain in the new world.

Bryson spoke with Captain Thorn briefly and quietly as to not announce their business to the rest of the ship. When they finished speaking, Captain Thorn turned his attention to Jennifer and gave a bow of his head, "Lady Smith, welcome to the Constance. I am Thomas Thorn, the ship's captain. Do you have any belongings that need to be loaded on board or any business to take care of before we depart?"

Jennifer hesitated for a moment. It was a question that would definitely change her life forever. If she left now, she was saying goodbye to her way of life, her dreams and desires. There would be no more Oxford, no more parties or opera. There would be no more London or England. To go aboard the ship was to leave everything behind and begin her life anew and for truly the first time she found herself afraid of what that meant. Yet, the alternative was a quick death for her and Haytham at the hands of the Templars or the Freemasons. The choice, in reality, was an easy one.

Still holding her hand, Haytham looked up at Jennifer, "Are we going to go on the boat?"

Jennifer looked down to her little brother and smiled, "It's a ship Haytham and yes we are." She told him, giving her brother's hand a light squeeze. She then looked to Captain Thorn and mustered a small smile, "I've already said my goodbyes Captain. We can leave once you are ready."


	12. Chasing Clues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work is to explore what could have happened after AC IV: Black Flag. In the modern day, the story follows the unnamed Abstergo employee from Black Flag, whom I have given the name of Julius Kaiser. In history, the story follows Jennifer Scott and her introduction into the Order by unexpected means when Templars begin a new quest for a new Piece of Eden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is a work of fiction using the setting presented in the Assassin's Creed world. I do not claim ownership over any copyrighted material. If you as a reader have any comments/suggestions/feedback that you would like to provide, please use the review box below. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 12: Chasing Clues  
New York City, NY - April 2014**

Julius reclined in his office chair after removing his animus equipment. For the past two weeks, he has been diving into Jennifer Scott's memories to try and find information about the Piece of Eden that the Templars were looking for and all he had been able to uncover thus far was a bunch of young adult drama. Jennifer and Bryson were, at first, completely incompatible for one another. The angst was so bad that Julius had to cleanse his palate each night with a healthy dose of action movies and combat training with Master Josh Ricker. 

At first, Julius was ready to tell his boss that there wasn't anything worth reliving in Jennifer Scott's memories until Rebecca Crane sent him a message telling him that from what little information that could be dug up about Jennifer was that she was part of the Assassin Brotherhood during the 1730s and 40s before disappearing into history. The Brotherhood's records indicated that she was seeking the killers of her father as well as a man named James Anderson and a Piece of Eden, which matched the story he had relived so far. Based on those clues, there was definitely something worth finding in her memories, Julius just needed to find it.

It wasn't yesterday that Julius was finally able to find the start of Jennifer's true story involving the Templars, Eden, and the Brotherhood. Now that he had finally found the start of the memories sequences, he would have to up his game in syncing with Jennifer and find the information that the Brotherhood needed before the Templars could.

"Julius?" A woman's voice broke Julius from his thoughts. He blinked and looked over to the side of his half moon shaped desk and saw Mara standing there is a white blouse and black blazer, her brunette hair pulled up into a bun.

"Huh? Oh, hi Mara. I didn't see you there." Julius said as he sat up and casually hit the power down button his his terminal.

Mara flashed a pretty smile while her storm colored eyes danced with amusement at catching him off guard. "Did I catch you at a bad time?"

Julius shook his head, "No, not at all. I was just finishing up for the day. What's up?"

"I just got off myself and wanted to see if you wanted to catch dinner and a drink. Maybe perhaps I could also pick your brain on the England project you are working on." Mara said as she leaned on the edge of his desk.

"Uh, well...I'm not sure..." Julius started to say, but was distracted by Mara's pose.

Mara gave a pout. "Aww, please? I could really use some help. See things from your perspective. I'm also having trouble with my sync ratio. Since you are in the same time period, I was hoping you could help me out a little."

Unable to say no to a woman in distress, Julius nodded, "All right. Let me finish up here and I'll meet you in the lobby in ten minutes?"

That beautiful smile returned in an instant, "Great. I'll see you in a few," Mara said before walking away towards her own desk at the other end of the floor.

Julius looked at this watch and wondered if he would be able to make his evening training class with Mentor Ricker. Josh was always going on about being on time for each class as it showed dedication and commitment to the training. To be late would mean extra work and a more harsh lesson than normal. Yet, the opportunity to pick Mara's brain about Bryson and Jennifer was too good of an opportunity to pass up. He just hoped Ricker agreed with him.

After finishing up his paperwork, Julius headed out of the cubicle farm and took the elevator down to the lobby. Mara was standing next to the receptionist desk chatting with a large burly man stuffed into an Abstergo security uniform. William Killwic held a stoic expression on his face as Mara talked while he also watched each and every person walk into and out of the building. A brief moment of panic took control over Julius' thoughts. What if William recognized him from their rooftop chase two weeks ago and tried to capture him in the lobby? 

Julius slowed his walk as he watched William turn his attention towards him. The large man's eyes appraised every aspect of Julius within two seconds before moving onto the next person. A moment later, Mara noticed Julius herself and said her goodbyes to William before walking over to him.

"Ready to go?" She asked, still holding the smile from before.

"That I am. What are you in the mood for?" Julius asked as he smiled back to try and show that he wasn't unnerved by William's presence.

Mara motioned to the door and started walking. "I'm thinking pizza and beer. There is this little shop down two blocks that has the best food and a killer home brew." 

Julius risked a look over at his nemesis one more time to verify that his cover had still not been blown. When he saw that William wasn't paying him any attention, Julius kept pace with Mara as they walked out the door. "That sounds great. I could use a drink."

The two of them walked the two blocks down to Little Italy Pizzeria at the corner of the street. Inside, the room was covered in cheap wood paneling and a checkered green and white tile floor. It was also apparently a popular spot as it was filled with people, which based on the smell that was coming from the kitchen, Julius could see why. The smell of fresh beer and pizza made his stomach grumble with need.

After ordering a pizza and a pitcher of beer, the two of them found a little table at the back of the shop. Mara removed her blazer and hung at the back of her chair while Julius settled into his seat and poured himself a drink.

"Nice place." Julius said.

Mara gave a nod, "I've been coming here since I was a kid. Very little has changed, which makes me happy."

"I bet." Julius said and then took a drink of his beer before continuing, "So tell me about your work. You mentioned once before that you were diving into a thief named Moore?"

"That's right." Mara said pouring herself a drink, "Bryson. He received a bunch of training in Italy before going on a secret mission to England with his mentor, a guy named Angelo Auditore da Firenze. But just as I think I'm about to get to the good stuff, the mentor leaves Bryson behind to babysit this whiny teenager and her kid brother."

"What were they after?" Julius asked.

"Something called a Compass and a guy named James Anderson. I honestly haven't gotten a lot of details yet." Mara said.

Julius took another drink. Mara was still a little behind him in the history of the two people. As she was unable to see Jennifer's thoughts regarding the matter, it didn't surprise him that she would call Jennifer whiny. What she did have though, was more background information about the Compass and what the Brotherhood wanted. Julius knew that he would have to be careful on how much he gave away. Mara was a beautiful and intelligent lady, but she was also an innocent in all of this. Just another person caught up in Abstergo's machinations. The more she was kept in the dark about what was truly going on, the better off she would be.

"A compass? That doesn't sound all that exciting." Julius said.

Mara chuckled. "That's what I thought at first too. When I dug a little deeper though, there apparently was this organization of assassins that wanted to get their hands on it and they recruited Bryson to help them do it. Apparently it is some alien technology or something like that. The Freemasons discovered it during a dig in northern England. From what I was able to figure out thus far, the Compass is supposed to point in the direction of anything you are looking for. Wouldn't that be exciting? Imagine if we had something like that now. Think of all the things we could find that haven't been discovered yet."

"That certainly sounds interesting. Maybe you need to jump forward a little further in time past the boring parts to this compass artifact?" Julius suggested.

Mara gave a sigh, "I'm trying, but I'm having problems with my sync ratios. I'm not able to get farther ahead because the data becomes unstable."

"What's problem are you having with the sync?"

"It's embarrassing to say actually." Mara said looking to the bottom of her glass of beer.

Julius flashed a smile, "I promise not to tell anyone."

"It's because I'm having problems thinking like a man. Bryson is so young and impulsive that the control of the memory keeps bucking me all over the place. I swear it's like trying to ride a crazed bronco or something."

"Ah." Julius said with a grin.

Mara eyed him suspiciously, "It's not funny."

Julius shook his head, "I didn't say it was."

"Look, you have the best ratios out of the whole department from your Kenway project and now this new one that you have you've hit the top mark again. How do you do it? What's your secret?"

Julius considered for a moment about how much to reveal. If he mentioned Jennifer at all, he could jeopardize his work and that of the Brotherhood. Not to mention putting Mara in danger. He knew it would be best that he kept his thoughts general in nature.

"For me it is about riding the memory rather than trying to control it." Julius said. "The animus system lets you dive into the memory, relive what the person lived and see what they saw. The impulse feedback system is there to let you know what the target is feeling so rely on that feedback to guide your actions rather than using your own."

Mara eyed him curiously, "So go with the flow as opposed to try and direct the actin how I see fit. Interesting idea, but that isn't the way they taught how to use system in training simulations. They said that if you dive too deeply that you could get lost or have some sort of psychotic break."

Julius nodded, "It is possible, but the best sync ratios are found in the deeper dives. You have to become the person rather than just watching. Try to be that person in every way and soon you will start to think like they would based on past experiences. You can only truly learn those experiences by riding the emotions."

"Have you ever tried to sync with the opposite gender?" Mara asked.

"Actually, I'm going through that right now actually." Julius said as he looked to the bottom of his glass. He knew he needed to be careful now.

Mara's eyes lit up. "Oh please do tell! What is it like pretending to be a woman?"

"It's a lot like being a guy really, just different goals and desires. I look at it like being a human being rather than gender specific." Julius replied.

"What is she like?" Mara asked.

One of the wait staff walked up to the table and set down a pizza for two at the center of the table. The smell of cheese and pepperoni made Julius' stomach growl. He thanked the lady and put a slice on his plate as Mara did the same.

"Well?" Mara asked again.

Seeing that he wasn't going to get away without answering, he reminded himself to keep things vague. "Well she is smart and independent. She would have done well in this time period with her desire to learn. Nice lady really." Julius said.

Mara nodded. "Between the two of us it sounds like you got the sane person."

Julius chuckled. "Time will tell. I'm not very far into the dive yet so we'll see what the rest of her life has in store for me. I'm sure it will be a hell of a ride though."

"Well, I could use the help if you happen to have any free time later on? Maybe some hands on training with the best will help me out and figure out how a guy's mind thinks?" Mara said.

Julius quickly took a bit of pizza, unsure as to how to reply. He knew instantly that he needed to be careful with this woman as she was an innocent in the centuries old war between the Brotherhood and the Order. Yet, the hinted offer hit on a nerve that Julius had begun feeling since his adventure with Edward Kenway: the feeling of connection to the normal. His life had become training and the war so much that he was beginning to lose touch with what he was fighting for. Perhaps Mara was that connection he needed to hold onto his humanity. But could he expose her to the dangerous life that he was living? Was that fair to her?

With an mental frown, Julius went about making small talk with Mara as they are their dinner while silently wondering to himself what he was going to do.


	13. When in Rome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work is to explore what could have happened after AC IV: Black Flag. In the modern day, the story follows the unnamed Abstergo employee from Black Flag, whom I have given the name of Julius Kaiser. In history, the story follows Jennifer Scott and her introduction into the Order by unexpected means when Templars begin a new quest for a new Piece of Eden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is a work of fiction using the setting presented in the Assassin's Creed world. I do not claim ownership over any copyrighted material. If you as a reader have any comments/suggestions/feedback that you would like to provide, please use the review box below. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 13: When in Rome  
Rome, Italy - February 1732**

The endless waves of the ocean finally gave way to land and the Roman harbor of Civitavecchia as Jennifer Scott stood at the bow of the ship. It had taken more than two weeks for the ship to make its way down the Atlantic with various brief stops in Spain and upper Italy. The time afforded her the opportunity to dwell on what happened at her home and what what her next steps should be.

Haytham was excited about the voyage, taking every opportunity to question the sailors on the ship, gaze out onto the endless blue, and learn about how to work the various jobs that made a ship run smoothly. By the time they reached port, the sailors were calling Haytham "Little Shrimp" for his natural skills at quickly learning sailing duties.

For Jennifer, she was mostly lost in thought during the trip. She spent most her time in the small cabin given to them by the captain, which barely had enough room for one person, let alone two and a child. The three of them were forced to sleep together on a single cot, which Jennifer refused at first and made Bryson sleep on the wooden floor. After two nights of that arrangement, her guilt at making him sleep on the floor finally forced her to relinquish a part of the cot to him. In truth, part of her change in heart was due to the fact that she was scared and in an unknown situation. The only person that she could anchor her life to was Bryson, which meant making sure that he wasn't made at her for little things like sleeping on the floor. There was also the added benefit of his warm body being next to hers that brought back the memories of the two of them in the clothing boutique in London and the feeling of his hands thing her while he helped her with the tight dress.

When they left England, everything had happened so quickly that Jennifer didn't have time to really digest what happened and how it would drastically changed her life moving forward. On top of having to deal with being swept away from her home was that she was forced to spend time with Bryson, which proved to be a blessing and a curse. It seemed like every day they would find something to argue about, just like they had back at her home before everything changed. Though the range of emotions was hard to cope with at first, there was a sense of familiarity that helped keep her grounded in reality. What she ultimately wanted was answers of why it happened and what could be done to fix what happened so life could go back to normal.

After setting sail for Rome, Jennifer tried to question Bryson about what happened and what would come next. At first he was quiet and refused to answer any questions other than saying the Brotherhood would know what to do. After a week of asking the same question over and over again, Bryson finally caved and admitted he didn't know what to do because he himself was still new to the Assasins. When asked what he would do if he was in her shoes, he had to admit that he would seek revenge for what happened and find Edward by any means necessary.

That thought gave Jennifer a little bit of comfort as it was the same direction her own mind was reaching towards. Though on one hand she wanted nothing to do with the Assassins and only live a quiet life of study and education, the blood of a pirate still ran in her veins and it demanded action. By the time the ship reached Rome, Jennifer finally decided that she would go to the Brotherhood and demand that they rescue her father. If they refused, then she would do it herself. She had too, for her own sake and for that of little Haytham who was too innocent to know what was really happening.

Once the ship pulled up to the docks of Civitavecchia, Jennifer gathered Haytham and met Bryson on deck. His skin was now a nice bronze color from the constant work with the ship under the blazing sun. Jennifer caught herself staring at him for a few moments longer than what was considered polite and quickly turned her attention to the port town just north of Rome. The town was not overly large with small scale buildings of white stone and cobblestone roads interweaves between them. People dressed in lightweight clothing of white and earth tones went about their business of loading and unloading ships while merchants directed their wares onto wagons and carts.

"Is this like coming home for you?" Jennifer asked as she walked up to Bryson's side.

Bryson nodded, "It is. I spent much of my life in Rome and its streets."

"You have never talk about your childhood. Were you born here?" Jennifer asked.

"It isn't much to talk about really. I was born in a small town in France, but I grew up on the streets of Rome until Angelo found me and brought me into the Brotherhood." Bryson said.

"How did you end up in Rome?" 

"My parents fled south to get away from a lord that wanted my father dead. They sacrificed themselves so I could get away. All I had with me was my wits and a brooch with the Brotherhood chevron on it. I found out later that my father was also an Assassin in Paris. Angelo knew that as well so when he found me, he took me in and raised me as his own son in honor of my father."

Jennifer frowned, "I'm sorry. That must have been hard for you."

Bryson shook his head. "Don't be sorry. It is the course that my destiny has laid before me. But perhaps next time when I say I understand how you feel, you will understand."

Biting her bottom lip, all Jennifer could do was nod in understanding. It made her feel bad the way she had treated him over the past several months when all he was doing was trying to prevent the same thing that happened to him. He could have been nicer about it though she thought to herself.

Once the ship was anchored at the port and the ramp was lowered for the crew and cargo, Jennifer gathered up Haytham and joined Bryson dockside. After so much time on the ocean, it felt great to finally be on solid ground once more. Now all that was left to be done was to reach the city itself and the Brotherhood.

"We'll need horses or a carriage for the trip out to the city." Bryson said as he turned his gaze from the buildings to look at Jennifer and her brother. After a critical look of the cobbled together clothing from the sailors, Bryson frowned. "And perhaps some more appropriate clothing."

Jennifer looked down at the oversized stained shirt and baggy brown pants. They were given to her by one of the sailors so she wouldn't be forced to wear the undersized and out of fashion dress. Her golden hair was a mess from lack of proper bathing and her skin had a fine layer of salt and dirt. She couldn't agree more.

"Yes. New clothes and for heaven's sake I need a proper bath." Jennifer said.

"Jenny, can I have new clothes too?" Haytham asked with an excited sparkle in his eyes.

Jennifer nodded. "Of course you can."

Bryson tapped his chin thoughtfully, "There should be a contact in the city that we can gather some supplies and money. Why don't you two head over to the hotel on Arbor Street and get a room. I'll meet you there once I get what we need."

"But I don't have any money." Jennifer said.

"Just tell the desk to put it under Firenze. They will take care of it from there." Bryson said and started walking. He then stopped and looked over his shoulder, "And stay out of trouble."

Jennifer gave a snort, "Says the thief and trained killer."

Bryson flashed a grin, "I should only be gone a few hours." 

A moment later Bryson slipped into the dockside crowd and was gone from view. Jennifer gave a sigh and shook her head. She was in a foreign city with nothing but borrowed clothes and her little brother to call her own. She didn't even know how to speak Italian. Not getting in trouble was an understatement.

Jennifer gathered Haytham and set off to look for Arbor Street. After twenty minutes of wandering around the docks, Jennifer finally made her way deeper into the port city and the market place. From there she found a merchant who spoke English who kindly gave her directions to the hotel. Another round of walking later, Jennifer found herself looking up at a three story hotel nestled between a bakery and a cafe. The smell of fresh bread from her left and rich coffee to her right immediately made her mouth water with need. With no money to purchase those needs, Jennifer sighed and walked into the hotel with Haytham in tow.

The interior of the hotel was nicely furnished with comfortable looking couches and chairs. The chandelier in the foyer was gold plated with crystal tear drops hanging down. At the other end of the foyer was the reception desk where a man and a woman were busy organizing paperwork and keeping an eye on the few people that were lounging about with glasses of wine. Flanking the desk were two spiral staircases that led up to the second and third floor.

"Whoa." Haytham said as he looked around the expensive looking decor.

"Don't touch anything." Jennifer whispered as she brought her brother along to the desk.

The man dressed in a black suit looked up from his papers and gave a friendly smiled. He then said something in Italian, which Jennifer could only blink in confusion. Seeing her expression, the man switched to Another language and the a third before saying "Can I help you?" In a heavily accented English.

Jennifer gave a sigh of relief, "Yes, thank you. I am here for a room and it needs to be put under Firenze."

The man arched a brow slightly, but quickly masked it with a smile and nod. "But of course my lady. Room 302 on the top floor is available for you. Shall I have your things brought up?"

"No, that isn't necessary. Thank you though." Jennifer said.

"Then please accept our warmest welcome to the town. There is a balneae located at the rear of the hotel and I will have fresh fruit and wine brought up to your room." The man said as he put a key on the counter. "How long will you be staying with us?"

Jennifer took the key from the counter. "Just for the evening." She said before pausing and then asking, "What is a balneae?"

"A bath Madame." He replied.

Jennifer smiled and nodded, "Ah, thank you."

The man bowed his head. "If there is nothing else, please enjoy your stay and if there is anything you need, please let us know."

"Thank you." Jennifer said before heading to the stairs with Haytham. The pair made their way up to the third floor, which only contained four doors to choose from. To her left was the door marked 302. They key provided slide easily into the lock and opened the door to reveal a spectacular room of opulence and wealth.

Taking up a full quarter of the top floor, the sprawling room was decorated in lush seating, expensive paintings, a stone hearth, and a balcony that overlooked the docks. It was a breathtaking view of the ships and the ocean that calmed the nerves. To the far side of the room was a large gold plated bed of satin white sheets and a variety of pillows. The room reminded Jennifer of a place that a Count or a Lord in London might have for special guests at their mansions. It certainly was not what she expected in a little port town outside of Rome.

"I'm hungry." Haytham declared as he wondered about the room looking over the various pieces of art.

"Don't touch anything Haytham." Jennifer said as she lightly sat at a red velvet cushioned couch.

"It looks like mum and dad's room." Haytham said as he reached out to touch an expensive looking vase.

Jennifer narrowed her eyes, "Haytham, I said don't touch."

Haytham recoiled his hand. "Sorry."

A knock at the door came a few moments later followed by a woman in a maid outfit of white carrying a basket of fruit and a green bottle. "Compliments of the hotel Madame."

"Thank you." Jennifer said and motioned to the serving table near the couch,

The servant set down the tray and then departed. Haytham quickly ran over to the basket and began stuffing grapes and olives into his mouth like a starved bloodhound. Jennifer gave him a look that said he needed to slow down and Haytham replied with a fruit pulped smile.

With a string of grapes for herself and a welcome glass of red wine, Jennifer sat back on the couch and wondered how Bryson knew about such a place and how he could even afford it. Based on the name she gave, she thought maybe it was a hideout for the Brotherhood and therefore paid for by them. Did that mean that the hotel staff was also part of the Brotherhood? It was a scary thought to think that the servant who brought their food could also kill someone without a second thought. She ended up dismissing the idea as silly and foolish. The more likely answer was that they were simply allies in a large network of help the Brotherhood had across Europe.

When they finished eating, Haytham gave a long yawn and said that he was tired. Jennifer wasn't surprised. The poor boy had not slept well during the voyage due to the constant swaying of the ocean. Jennifer took him to bed and within only a few minutes on the soft mattress, Haytham was out like a light. Now that she was left to her own devices, the first thing that came to her mind was that she needed to get clean. Looking around the room, she found that it lacked a wash basin for bathing. What kind of upscale hotel didn't have personal basins for their guests to get clean?

Jennifer exited the room and found the same servant in the hall gathering sheets from a neighboring room. "Excuse me miss, I appear to be missing a basin in my room."

The servant looked over to Jennifer with a curious expression, "Basin?"

"Yes, a basin. I need a place to bath and fresh warm water." Jennifer replied.

"Oh! I'm sorry Madame, there is no basin. The balneae is for bathing."

Jennifer frowned, "A public bath?"

"Si." The servant said.

"Very well. Thank you." Jennifer said and re entered her room. The idea of a public bath was not common in London. It was thought of as a private thing. It must be an Italian culture occurrence to bath with others, but the thought made her blood run cold. Her body was for her future husband to see, not some random stranger. Yet, when Jennifer looked down at her salt and dirt covered body, waiting for a chance to obtain a private bath would take too long and that was just not acceptable for a woman of her stature. She would have to use the balneae. Thankfully, though they were strangers, they also wouldn't know who she was and would most likely forget her by the next day and so her identity would be safe,

After a quick look around the room, Jennifer found a closet that contained several white robes that were slightly big on her frame, but would serve nicely for getting out of her borrowed clothing. With Haytham still asleep, Jennifer quickly undressed and slipped the robe on. The soft cotton felt good against her bare skin and would feel even better once she was able to wash. Biting her bottom lip, Jennifer headed out of her room and down the stairs towards the balneae.

At the rear of the hotel was a large enclosed stone building with a glass dome overhead. The smell of soap and oils came from the entrance along with a noticeable amount of steam from the interior baths. Just standing at the entrance increased Jennifer's desire to get clean. The main entrance was staffed by people in loose white clothing and sandals. They were all smiles as they welcomed everyone inside, instructing them to one of three passageways. When Jennifer arrived, they asked her something in Italian, which she shook her head and replied with a request to speak with someone in English. 

A moment later a handsome man with curly black hair approached and asked Jennifer in English how he could help. She explained that it was her first time at a balneae. The man smiled and told her that she was in excellent hands and that all of her needs would be taken care off. He then directed her to the far left passage where she could disrobe and then enter the bath. Once there, she would be provided everything she would need to get clean.

Jennifer thanked the man and went down the passage to a simple room with benches and open faced lockers to put her belongings. Within the room were a pair of woman standing openly naked next to a bench as they spoke quickly in Italian. They both looked to her when she entered, but then quickly went back to their conversation. Jennifer made her way over to an empty locker at the far side and hesitantly removed her robe while side glancing the two women. It felt strange to her to be disrobing in front of other people that it gave her goosebumps. Once the robe was removed and placed in the locker, Jennifer reflexively crossed her arms over her chest and waist as she quickly made her way to the entrance to the main bath.

The sounds of voices came to Jennifer as she entered the bath, which was a large single pool of water that was as big as the entire first floor of her home back in England with tiled flooring of white around it. Steam rose off the water from the heated coals beneath the floor that looked inviting, especially to someone that had not bathed in weeks. There was a score of women within the bath, grouped together in packs of five or six spread through the bath having conversations in the nude without any concern for what was showing to the rest of the room. A few servants moved about the edge of the pool to assist those with questions or needs.

None of the women paid Jennifer any mind as she entered. Finding the least occupied area of the pool, Jennifer quickly made her way across the tiled floor with her hands still covering her body. She then tested the water with her toe and found it soothingly warm to the touch. She made another glance around her area and saw that none of the women were paying attention to her. Jennifer then took a breath of confidence and slipped into the water.

The immediate sense of relief and pleasure washed over Jennifer as she stepped into the water up to her shoulders. She had not noticed early how much stress she had been carrying, but the warm water began helping break down her tense body to relax. A servant appeared at the edge of the pool a moment later and asked something in Italian, but Jennifer couldn't understand her. The servant though, was holding a basket of soaps and oil, which Jennifer pointed to. The servant smiled and handed her a bar of soap that smelled of wild flowers.

With soap in hand and warm water surrounding her body, Jennifer closed her eyes and finally let herself relax for the first time in weeks. The worry about who could be watching melted away so that it was just Jennifer and the water. It was, at the point of finally having relaxed, that Jennifer opened her eyes and saw a glowing sigil inscribed on the wall of the bathhouse next to her. It was a crudely drawn circle with the letter A imposed over top. Startled, Jennifer blinked several times and when she refocused back on the wall, the glowing sigil was gone and left her confused and worried that there was something wrong with her.


	14. Unexpected Situations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: This is a work of fiction using the setting presented in the Assassin's Creed world. I do not claim ownership over any copyrighted material. If you as a reader have any comments/suggestions/feedback that you would like to provide, please use the review box below. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.

**Chapter 14: Unexpected Situations  
Rome, Italy - February 1732**

It took all of Jennifer's might to not scream out in fear and confusion. Was she losing her mind? Was there something in the soap or the water that was making her hallucinate? Whatever the reason was, the moment of relaxation was gone, replaced by tension that caused her shoulders to ache. Looking around at her surroundings, Jennifer saw that no one else was having any problems or looked out of their mind. Perhaps the stress from what happened in London finally caught up to her.

With the bath no longer helpful to her mood, Jennifer quickly washed herself clean and returned to the locker for her robe. It felt good to be clothed once more, even if it was only partially. From the balneae Jennifer returned to the hotel and walked up the three flights of stairs back to the room. To her cautious eyes, everything looked the same she left it and Haytham was sleeping quietly in the bed. 

Seeing that her brother was safe, Jennifer gave a sigh of relief and walked over to a desk with a well made vanity mirror. A quick look through the desk produced a much needed brush, which Jennifer began using on her golden hair to get out the knots and tangles. Once her hair was straightened, Jennifer looked over to the dirty clothes that were left on the floor next to the bed. Now that she was clean, the mere thought of putting the dirty articles on her body was revolting. Yet, she didn't know how long Bryson would be or if he would have any clothes to bring. He said he would obtain appropriate clothing, but the last time Bryson picking out her clothes didn't work out so well for her.

Jennifer sat at the desk for a moment as she struggled with idea of waiting in her robe or getting properly dressed. She finally caved to her sense of respectability and decided to put the old clothes back on as she reminded herself it would only be until some proper clothes were obtained. Jennifer removed the robe and laid it over the back of the chair before moving over to the clothes to begin putting them on.

That's when the front door opened and Bryson walked in with a bag over his shoulder.

The two of them stopped in their tracks; Bryson at the doorway and Jennifer standing beside the bed fully naked. She felt like a doe that was caught in an open field by a wolf hiding in the tall grass. Her skin felt electrified as he took in her appearance. Pale flesh mixed with blonde hair of an athletic body, full hips with shapely legs, full breasts with nipples that were erect with betrayal from the excitement of the situation. A thousand thoughts fluttered through her mind as Bryson gazed upon her with a curious look. His full lips then upturned at one corner and he politely turned around to face the doorway.

With the gaze broken, Jennifer quickly grabbed the robe from the back of the chair and quickly slide into it and covered herself up as her face went red with embarrassment. No man had ever seen her naked before, not even her father. She had always held the belief that she would reveal herself once she was married to a proper gentleman. That dream was now shattered due to a young hot headed man. The thought infuriated her but at the same time, she couldn't help but wonder if he liked what he saw. Memories of the night in the clothing boutique and when his fingers brushed up against her cleavage. The flutter of lust that she felt then had now returned full force to her mind and body. Why was she having these thoughts now of all times and of all people, about Bryson?

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you would be changing." Bryson finally said after hearing the rustle of the robe being put on.

"You could have knocked." Jennifer said as she tied the front of the robe shut.

"To be truthful, I thought you would wait until after I got back to change clothes." Bryson said still looking at the door frame.

Jennifer gave a huff and walked over to the couch where she sat down in a fluster. "For once in your life you could exhibit common decency and manners when there is a lady involved."

Hearing that Jennifer had moved, Bryson shut the door and then turned around. That upturned grin was still on his face as he walked over and set the bag on the table in front of her. "My apologies. Please accept this clothes as a token."

"What is it?" Jennifer asked as she eyed the bag.

"Clothes."

"What kind of clothes?"

"Comfortable ones."

"You are impossible." Jennifer muttered and opened the bag. Within there was a neatly folded dress of pale violet with yellow flowers, a pair of boots, and undergarments. Underneath those she found another set of clothing for Haytham to replacing his sleeping clothes that he had been wearing for weeks.

The quality of the dress was simple, yet elegant and appeared to be made from cotton. The lightness would allow it to breath well in the warmer climate of Italy and the boots would better support her feet on the trip into the city proper. Despite her feelings on Bryson, she had to admit that the dress was cute and good enough to wear.

"I suppose this will do." Jennifer said as she looked back up to him. Now that the moment had passed, she noticed that he too had changed clothes into a simple clean white tunic with a red vest over his muscular chest, black leather pants and a red sash across his trim waist. The new look made him look dashing and her heart skipped a beat.

Bryson smiled, "Good. I've also secured us passage into the city where we will meet with the Brotherhood. I'll go scrounge up some dinner while you get dressed. We will leave this evening."

Jennifer arched a brow, "Why leave in the middle of the night?"

"Because whatever hornet nest your father and my mentor kicked, it has brought Templars out from their hiding to look for you." Bryson said. "Under the cover of night, we have a better chance to slip by their look outs. Once we reach the city outskirts, we will have brothers watching us from the roof tops until we reach the meeting hall."

"And the. I will meet the Brotherhood?" Jennifer asked.

Bryson nodded. "That's right and they will be able to tell us what to do from there. Keep us safe until we can figure out what is actually going on."

It sounded like a safe plan to Jennifer. She nodded her approval to Bryson.

"I'll be back in an hour or so. That should be enough time for you to change I assume?" Bryson asked, that grin returning.

Jennifer scowled. "Deviant. Yes I will be dressed by then, but not a minute sooner."

Bryson gave a sweeping bow from the waist. "As you command." He said before leaving the room.

Over the course of the next hour, Jennifer changed out of the dirty clothing and slipped into the voiles flower dressed. To her surprise it fit well, complimenting her figure without being overly inappropriate. She then rose Haytham from his nap and helped him change clothes into a simple white shirt and brown pants with little black shoes. After Bryson returned with food, the three of them sat down at the table and ate well on baked fish, fresh bread, cooked vegetables, and refreshing wine. It was a pleasant and welcome meal after the bland food from the ship.

For a brief moment during the meal, Jennifer considering telling Bryson about the weird glowing symbol she saw in the balneae and the odd feeling that the symbol meant something. Considering the situation, she thought that maybe it would be important for him to know. Ultimately she dismissed the idea of telling Bryson under the assumption that he would dismiss it out of hand as her just being stressed about what was going on and on that thought, she could agree with him. Yet, the symbol from the bath was still clearly in her mind and undiluted from the passage of time.

Once they finished eating and the sun began to slip past the horizon, the three headed out of the hotel to a fine black carriage. Bryson spoke with the driver for a moment before the three of them climbed inside, drew the curtains and shut the door. The interior of the carriage was simple with leather bound seating. Resting on one of the benches was a black bag and a sword resting against the edge of the seat. Bryson immediately went for the bag and from within he drew a pouch that he attached to his belt followed by a second larger pouch that he also clipped on.

"What are those?" Haytham asked curiously, pointing to the pouches.

"Tools of the trade little man." Bryson said with a smile. He then opened the first pounce a d pulled out a few coins. "A few coins for spending." He said and then opened the second and showed Haytham several small round pellets. "And a few toys just in case we get into trouble."

"Whoa!" Haytham said in awe.

"No touching." Jennifer said sternly.

Haytham immediately pouted. "But Jenny."

Jennifer shook her head. "No buts."

Bryson chuckled and went back to digging in the black bag. He then pulled out a silver plated pistol and holster that he attached to his back. He then withdrew a sheathed dagger with a eagle shaped handle and pommel. Bryson held the dagger out to Jennifer. "Just in case."

"Because it worked so well the last time I held a blade." Jennifer said as she eyed the knife.

Still holding the dagger out, Bryson chuckled. "We are still alive aren't we?"

Jennifer took the knife. It felt heavier in her hand that she thought it would, even for such a smaller blade. She studied the intricate engravings along the sheath that contained subtle symbols of the Brotherhood within vines, leaves, and fruit. The pommel, that of a eagle, was so finally crafted down to the smallest feather that it almost looked alive in her hand.

"It's beautiful." Jennifer said quietly.

"A gift and one that I hope you will never have to use." Bryson said.

"Can I have a knife too?" Haytham asked.

Bryson shook his head, but smiled. "When you become a man I will give you a gift worthy of the great Haytham Kenway."

Haytham immediately frowned. "But I want one now."

Jennifer reached out and touched her brother's shoulder. "Be nice and say thank you."

"Do you promise?" Haytham asked.

"I promise." Bryson said and held out his hand, which Haytham shook vigorously.

The carriage ride into Rome took the better part of the evening. Haytham fell asleep a few hours into the trip while Jennifer and Bryson made small talk well into the night. They were careful to avoid the topic of what happened in London and instead focused on smaller items such as what their childhoods were like and dreams of what they wanted to do in life.

Jennifer described how she loved learning and wanted to be a scholar. She mentioned her love of science and how the college refused to allow her admittance even though her academic scores were better than most of the men. Jennifer also admitted that she loved social gatherings as well and how one event could provide a wealth of knowledge about a city, its politics, and gossip.

Bryson, meanwhile, told of his childhood and growing up on the streets of Rome before the Brotherhood found him. Mostly his days were about finding food for the day, avoiding the dangerous street gangs, and shelter from the weather. Once Angelo found him, Bryson's life changed dramatically. He described briefly what his training was like such as how to sneak around, how to fight with a sword, and how to shoot a pistol. The tale was fascinating to Jennifer as her father never had such training by the Assassin Brotherhood. He was a natural rogue to start and only became an Assassin to repay a debt for a transgression that he caused. To learn how the Brotherhood formally handled new recruits was refreshing, though it sounded difficult.

Eventually the two of the grew tired and drifted off to sleep as the carriage continued along its way. In the hour just before dawn, a touch upon Jennifer's shoulder brought her out of her dreams and back into reality. Haytham was still sleeping, but Bryson was awake and apparently at some point she had shifted in her sleep to rest her head on his shoulder.

"We're here." Bryson said quietly.

Jennifer sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Rome?"

Bryson nodded, "We will be at the Grand Hall within the hour."

"All right. Thank you for waking me." Jennifer said, sat up in her seat and stretched.

"There are a few things that we should go over before meeting with the Council." Bryson said.

Jennifer arched a brow. "Like what?"

"The power of the Brotherhood in Europe is here in Rome." Bryson began saying, "For the past two hundred and fifty years, the Assassins have grown into the complex and effective network of people the world hasn't seen since Altair. That is thanks in no small part to Master Enzio Auditore da Firenze. He rose the Brotherhood from its low and breathed new and sustained life into its lungs."

"You sound like a history professor the way you talk about this guy." Jennifer said with a smirk. She tilted her head as she rolled the name through her memory, "Wait, Firenze? That was the same name your had me give to the hotel for the room ."

Bryson nodded, "It is. The family estate holds vast holdings throughout the region with more than enough money for the Brotherhood to move about and remain secretive."

"That doesn't make a lot of sense to me." Jennifer said. "Surely the Templars knew who Firenze was. Why haven't they gone after the estate to get at the Brotherhood?"

"We have managed to push their base of power out of the city, thanks in large part to Master Enzio's work. Without a support structure, the Templars haven't been able to make a serious threat to the estate in some time now. Though they have certainly tried over the decades." Bryson said.

"So why is this important to know?" Jennifer asked.

"Because the leadership of the Brotherhood is here and they don't usually grant an audience with those that are outside. I'm hoping that under the circumstances and the fact that Angelo was on the Council will give us some leeway to speak with them." Bryson said.

Jennifer nodded. "Angelo said that the Brotherhood would take care of me and Haytham if something. Are you suggesting that they might not honor that?"

Bryson frowned. "I'm just saying be prepared for anything. The Council members are very serious when it comes to the security of the Brotherhood and frankly, they have become rigid in their ways of handling things."

"Then I will just have to convince them otherwise." Jennifer said firmly, careful to hide her sudden worry that things would suddenly not go her way. Her father always had a tentative relationship with the Brotherhood since his return to England. He mostly did research these days, focusing on books rather than a blade. It was unexpected that the Council would promise help and then suddenly deny that request when the situation called for it. Jennifer made up her mind that however the conversation with the Brotherhood went, she would get what she wanted no matter what; safety for Haytham and her father rescued.


End file.
